CONFERENCE POSTPONEMENT NO PUNISHMENT; REFUGEES SHOULD RETURN - KINKEL

RETURN - KINKEL ( Editorial: --> 1761 ) STRASBOURG, May 5 (Hina) - The postponement of the conference on return and reconstruction does not mean Croatia is being punished. However, the Croatian President should realise that the return of refugees to the former Krajina region should start, German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel said in Strasbourg on Tuesday, answering a question by a Croatian Television reporter. Some refugees currently accommodated in Germany cannot return to the Bosnian Serb entity while Croatian Serbs are still there, Kinkel said. Bonn will support Zagreb in the process of refugee return, the German Foreign Minister said adding he had made this clear to his Croatian counterpart Mate Granic during today's meeting in Strasbourg. Kinkel said he had explained the same to President Franjo Tudjman during his recent visit to Zagreb with the French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine. (hina) rm /mb 051909 MET may 98