AUSTRIAN MPS URGED TO SUPPORT REALISTIC SITUATION IN E. CROATIA

( Editorial: --> 2549 ) VUKOVAR, May 8 (Hina) - A delegation from the Austrian Parliament's Federal Council, led by upper house speaker Ludwig Biering, visited the eastern Croatian city of Vukovar on Friday to discuss local self-government and the situation in the area. The Austrian MPs were accompanied by Croatian House of Counties deputy speaker Bozidar Pankretic and Austrian Ambassador to Croatia Rudolf Bogner. They held discussions with Vukovar-Srijem County Prefect Rudolf Koenig, National Trust Establishment Committee deputy chairmen Ivica Vrkic and Vojislav Stanimirovic, Vukovar Mayor Vladimir Stengl and local MPs. Austrian MPs were interested in reconstruction and return in Vukovar. Vrkic said that despite all forms of Croatian authority now operating, the situation in the Croatian Danube River region was still difficult. "Much time will be needed for many things to come into place, despite large investments and efforts of the Croatian state which is trying to do everything so that the situation in the Croatian Danube region remains stable," Vrkic said. He added that unrealistic demands and pressures on Croatia were destabilising the situation in the Danube region and bringing the view that the Croatian state was doing very little to fix the situation, but this was in fact the opposite. Stanimirovic said that the postponing of the donors' conference would also have an impact on local Serbs and that this and various pressures on Croatia were not in the interests of Serbs who lived there. He said that an unnecessary psychosis had been formed in the minds of the Croatian public regarding the return of Serbs because it was "well known that all Serbs will not return to Croatia". In the meantime despite this there needs to be support for the constitutional principle that everybody returns, he said. Croatian National Parliament member Vlado Osust criticised the European Union which "did not take into account the real situation in Croatia and often reacted with bias". Austrian Social Democrat MP Alberth Konecny replied that the EU was not expecting anything more from Croatia than its respect for signed documents and promises. Prefect Koenig said help was expected from the friendly Austrian state which could do a lot to promote greater EU understanding for the circumstances in Croatia. Members of the Austrian Federal Council delegation promised to do as much as they could for this to succeed. The Austrian parliamentary delegation today also visited the United Nations Civil Police Support Group headquarters in Vukovar, where they held talks with Austrian UN civilian police representatives. (Hina) mb /lm 082006 MET may 98