AGREEMENT SIGNED ON RECONSTRUCTION IN DARDA

( Editorial: --> 9714 ) BELI MANASTIR/DARDA, June 8 (Hina) - Representatives of the Darda municipality in eastern Croatia and the International Agency for Migration, on Monday signed an agreement on the reconstruction of municipal buildings and infrastructure. The project is part of the Programme for Assistance in the Process of Return to 16 Croatian municipalities and cities, which was established by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The USAID project is worth US$13.7 million and is being implemented by the International Agency for Migration. Present at the signing of the agreement were Reconstruction and Development Minister Jure Radic and US Ambassador to Croatia William Montgomery. The reconstruction project in Darda is the start of support for reconstruction and for reconciliation, said Montgomery, adding that he was impressed with the extent of reconstruction Croatia is doing with its own money. Thanking the US government and representatives of international organisations for the assistance in that project, Minister Radic expressed hope that this was only the first step "in joint projects for reconstruction of infrastructure and life in the Croatian Danube River region and all displaced areas in the whole of Croatia". Before the signing of the agreement, Radic and Montgomery were in Beli Manastir at a meeting of the Coordination for the Reconstruction of the Croatian Danube River region. At the meeting Radic said that by the start of the new school year the reconstruction of about 10,000 houses and flats would be completed in that area and hence preconditions created for the return of 40,000 displaced people. "Our task is that nobody be a displaced person in Croatia by the end of next year," said Radic. He said that he expects the comprehensive Plan for the Return of All Displaced Persons and Refugees, to be debated by the Government and adopted at a Parliament session by the end of June. Radic said that the Government would in July announce a programme for the donors' conference on reconstruction and development in Croatia which according to him will most likely be held in the second half of October. (hina) jn bag/lml 081752 MET jun 98