FIRST CONFERENCE ON REFUGEE RETURN PROGRAMME HELD IN TOPUSKO

( Editorial: --> 6221 ) TOPUSKO, July 7 (Hina) - Croatian state and local government officials and representatives from the international community and international organisations gathered in Topusko (70km south of Zagreb) on Tuesday for the first information conference on the government's refugee return programme. Croatia is resolute to consistently and competently respect and carry out its obligations from the Programme for the Return and Accommodation of Displaced Persons, Refugees and Exiled Persons which was recently accepted by the Croatian National Parliament, said Tomislav Vidosevic, head of the government Office for Cooperation with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Besides political support by the international community for the return of displaced people to all war affected Croatian regions, we also need greater and more active help in economic renewal, pre-war production and work places, and establishing conditions for a dignified life, Vidosevic said. Sisak-Moslavina Prefect Djuro Brodarac said that during the Serbian aggression his county suffered a third of the war damage in Croatia - more than 25,000 houses and flats, 32 bridges and 82 churches and chapels had been damaged. Up to now 4,200 houses or flats had been reconstructed, while 25,000 Croat displaced people and 15,000 Serbs had returned and about 15,000 Bosnian Croat refugees had settled into the area, Brodarac said. He said life was difficult for both Croats and Serbs in heavily damaged regions. Speaking about trust in the activities of international organisation representatives, Brodarac said that OSCE, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other workers should visit Croat returnees, see how difficult they were living and then the returnees would believe in their work. This is how misunderstandings can be avoided, Brodarac said. Assistant Interior Minister Josko Moric said there could not and would not be the forced expulsion of people from homes in which they were currently accommodated in. Agency for Facilitating Real-Estate Transactions deputy director Ivan Mahecic said that from Serbs who had decided to leave Croatia and sell their property, Croatia had up to now bought 2,025 objects at a cost of US$35 million. Vidosevic called on local officials for better cooperation with international community representatives, saying this was the only way to prevent misunderstandings on the field. The conference in Topusko was the first following delivery of the Return Programme and was organised by the government Office for Cooperation with the OSCE. Also present at the meeting were representatives from 11 counties, towns and municipalities directly affected by the war; the European Commission's special envoy to Croatia, Per Vinther; UNHCR Mission to Croatia chief Robert Robinson; OSCE Mission to Croatia first deputy head Ambassador Victor Tomseth; UN Liaison Office in Zagreb representative Done Thomas; and the Austrian, Polish and Norwegian ambassadors to Croatia and representatives from the German and American embassies. (Hina) mbr jn /jfk 072231 MET jul 98