CROATIA LEADS CEI MONITORING MISSION IN ALBANIA

( Editorial: --> 4459 ) ZAGREB, June 29 (Hina) - A mission of the Central European Initiative (CEI) troika, including representatives from Croatia, the Czech Republic and Bosnia-Herzegovina and the CEI secretariat, visited Albania last week to inspect the situation in the area. According to Croatian Assistant Foreign Minister Vladimir Drobnjak, the visit was the result of a CEI statement concerning the south Yugoslav province of Kosovo reached on Brijuni Isles, northern Adriatic. CEI representatives held several meetings with representatives of local and central authorities in Albania, and visited the border area between Albania and Yugoslavia, Drobnjak said in Zagreb on Monday. It was an important event as it was the first CEI mission of that kind and the first Croatia took part in, Drobnjak said. The mission evaluated the situation on the ground from a humanitarian point of view, concerning refugees, and a political one. Between 12,000 and 15,000 refugees are estimated to have crossed the Yugoslav border into Albania since June 1, including 7,000 who are still in the local border area. The refugees are located in houses which, according to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees data is a unique way of accommodating refugees. The CEI mission also registered a high number of international organisations on the ground which have been of great assistance in supplying refugees with food, said Drobnjak. He added problems might arise due to poor weather conditions and a possible new wave of refugees. The CEI mission concluded the situation was very delicate and recommended that international presence in Kosovo be increased in number as soon as possible. A report will be submitted to CEI national coordinators, Drobnjak said. The mission will also notify the European Union, the Contact Group and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The mission might make another visit depending on the situation, he concluded. (hina) ha 291605 MET jun 98