CROATIA & BOSNIAN SERB ENTITY INSIST ON VOLUNTARY REFUGEE RETURN

( Editorial: --> 8397 ) ZAGREB, June 2 (Hina) - Croatia and the Bosnian Serb entity (RS) will soon sign a protocol on a two-way return of Croat refugees to RS and Croatian Serb refugees to Croatia. Both Croatia and RS insist on a voluntary return and the possibility for refugees to stay in their new place of residence, Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa and his Bosnian Serb counterpart Milorad Dodik told reporters in Zagreb Tuesday. Today Dodik held separate talks with Matesa and Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic. The talks focused on the return of refugees, the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement, relations within Bosnia-Herzegovina, and bilateral relations, especially economic cooperation. According to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs Statement, Dodik and Granic adjusted the Protocol on the Two-Way Return of Refugees, to be signed within a week, following procedures in both governments. The protocol is based on a voluntary return as "a man's right to choose where he will live and be then provided with conditions for a dignified living", Matesa told reporters. Dodik said the Bosnian Serb side supported this approach which endorses an individual's freely expressed will to return and enables refugees who do not wish to return to exchange property or receive compensation. "The Dayton agreement itself said that the rights to return, compensation, or exchange of property are equal, and we want to recognise (...) the possibility (that people choose) one of these three options", the Bosnian Serb Premier said. It is estimated that close to 50,000 Croatian Serbs took refuge in the Bosnian Serb entity during Croatia's liberation operation Storm in the summer of 1995. Official Croatian data say that more than 71,000 Croats were expelled from RS to Croatia at that time, but the figure is estimated to be even higher. Next week the Croatian Embassy in Sarajevo will start the holding of consular days in RS headquarters Banja Luka, when Croatian Serbs wishing to return will be able to submit their requests. The consular days will be held until a Croatian consulate general is opened in Banja Luka. In the wake of heavy international pressure Croatia recently adopted a document enabling an unconditional return of Serb refugees, despite fears that a mass Serb return might destabilise the country. Ţhe Foreign Minister yesterday said the interest Croatian Serb refugees had shown so far proved the fear of a mass return was unfounded. Croatia and the Bosnian Serb entity are in particular trying to resume economic relations which existed before the war broke out on former Yugoslav territory. Matesa told reporters he was very satisfied with his talks with Dodik and hoped cooperation between Croatia and RS would develop according to mutually acceptable principles. On his second visit to Croatia, Dodik also expressed satisfaction with today's talks which, he said, were a continuation of agreements on numerous concrete issues. "I think we have been very successful in resolving economic relations in the first place", the Bosnian Serb Premier told reporters. Croatia and RS agreed the border crossing in Gradiska should work around the clock and not until 9pm as until now. The two Premiers also discussed concrete issues in economic cooperation, the establishment of all forms of transport, and the cleaning of the Sava river to make it fit for transport. Dodik welcomed Croatia's recent revocation of visas for Bosnian citizens from RS who have new BH passports. "We agreed that Bosnian Serb citizens may enter and cross Croatia without visas (...) and also that RS authorities will guarantee the safety of Croatian citizens crossing RS territory", Dodik told reporters after his talks with Granic. (hina) ha 021832 MET jun 98