GRANIC: CROATIA CANNOT QUICKLY ACCEPT REFUGEES FROM GERMANY

( Editorial: --> 6629 ) ZAGREB, May 26 (Hina) - Croatia is unable to accept Bosnian Croat refugees from Germany within a short period of time and has not yet discussed the issue with the Germans, Foreign Minister Mate Granic told reporters in Zagreb on Tuesday. Granic was commenting on claims by Croatian National Parliament Speaker Vlatko Pavletic who recently said Croatia was prepared to accept 80,000 Croat refugees, mainly from Bosnia-Herzegovina, who were currently living in Germany. In discussions with a German parliamentary delegation, Pavletic said the idea was still unofficial but Germany would probably be informed of it. Germany is still providing for the welfare of 240,000 refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina, of which it is believed about 80,000 are Croats. However, the Croatian Foreign Minister did not totally reject Pavletic's idea saying that Croatia was prepared to accept those Croats who did not want to return to the places in Bosnia from which they had been forced to flee. "Croatia can help Germany especially regarding those Croats who are Croatian citizens and do not want to return to BH," Granic said. He added that the issue fell into bilateral relations between Croatia and Germany. (Hina) as mb/as 261409 MET may 98