MPS SUPPORT SIMULTANEOUS RETURN TO CROATIA & BOSNIA & YUGOSLAVIA

( Editorial: --> 7525 ) ZAGREB, April 17 (Hina) - Representatives of Croatian parliamentary benches on Friday discussed the Government Report on the Implementation of the Programme of Two-Way Return. Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) said that "a part of Serbs (from the Croatian Danube River region) were leaving because of extremism, such as a meeting of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) in Vukovar, but some of them were leaving because they cannot identify with the Croatian state". Those who decided to remain should be helped and given a maximum degree of protection, Kajin said adding that one should create a multi-ethnic society. Zdravko Tomac of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) said that it was not possible to solve the issue of return if the causes of the war were not stated. One of the causes, he said, was that part of the international community had accepted certain situations, while part made compromises with the Greater Serbia policy. All people have the right to return to their homes and the international community has to treat all returnees equally, Tomac said. Josko Kovac of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) asked why the international community only spoke about the return of Serbs. It was Croats who were expelled, while Serbs left Croatia after operation "Storm" of their own accord and because of political calculations, said Kovac. It is civilised to forgive, but it is also civilised to demand war reparations which (Yugoslav President Slobodan) Milosevic has to pay, Kovac said adding the international community should be forced to say clearly who was the aggressor and who was the victim. The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) bench supported the Government Report and the Procedure of Return for Persons Who Left Croatia. The Croatian Social-Liberal Party (HSLS) did not support the Report but supported the Procedure, while the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) bench said they believed that "neither the Government nor Parliament have the right to make a decision on a mass return of Serbs". The HSP, to say the least, has always held reservations towards the policy of return of Serbs and the peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube River region, said Vlado Jukic of the HSP. Vladimir Seks of the HDZ said it was not Croatia, but the Greater Serbian imperialistic policy and aggression by the JNA and rebel Serbs who were to blame for the refugee crisis. Seks also recalled the responsibility of the international community, especially the European Union, for the consequences of that aggression. The HDZ believes that a simultaneous return to Croatia, Bosnia- Herzegovina and Yugoslavia has to take place, Seks said. Speaking about the forthcoming regional conference on refugees, which is to be held in Banja Luka, Seks said that Croatia should necessarily raise the issue of war reparations and exert pressure on the international community to complete the succession to the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. War criminals should be prohibited to return to Croatia, he added. Jozo Rados of the HSLS said that the Government Report was "very bad" and should not be adopted. One should insist on preventing the eviction of Bosnian Croat refugees and on presenting problems which accompany the process of return, Rados said. The Government Report has "a whole set of deficiencies", said Zlatko Kramaric of the Liberal Party (LS). A frequent thesis which can be heard in Croatia - that the return of Serbs could destabilise Croatia - is not correct, also because certain things had happened in the past several years, during the establishment of the Croatian state, which prevent this. Croatia would be best protected by overall democratisation and not by preventing the return of Serbs, Kramaric said adding that the return of Serbs was not the only problem. Croats too have difficulties in returning to their homes because of huge economic problems, Kramaric concluded. (hina) mm rm /mb 171720 MET apr 98