REFUGEE RETURN PROCESS PROGRESSING POSITIVELY - CRO-YU COMMISSION

( Editorial: --> 7001 ) BELGRADE, July 10 (Hina) - A joint Croatian-Yugoslav commission in charge of implementing Article Seven of an agreement on the normalisation of relations between the two countries on Friday assessed the return of refugees was progressing positively. The meeting, held in Belgrade, was chaired by Yugoslav Assistant Justice Minister Radivoj Rajakovic, while the Croatian delegation was headed by the head of the Government's office for the succession project Bozo Marendic. A joint statement said the meeting discussed issues concerning the return of refugees, displaced and exiled persons. The joint conclusion was a positive assessment of the process. The two parties also exchanged information on the work of the Croatian agency for facilitating real estate transactions and the Yugoslav Property Protection Service, as well as data on purchases of property owned by physical parties. A positive assessment was given to this process as well. Also discussed were property issues relating to legal persons. The Croatian side submitted its draft agreement on damages for destroyed, damaged or missing property. Croatia's Marendic said the implementation of the normalisation agreement's Article Seven had given many results. Both sides made a commitment to eliminate any obstacles to the implementation of the agreement. At today's meeting the Croatian side was criticised on account of an allegedly complex procedure the Croatian Consulate in Belgrade requires in the issuance of Croatian documents to persons who want to return to Croatia. Marendic said the Consulate's work cannot be judged on the basis of queues in front of its building. When the Croatian side put forward its arguments, it was jointly assessed that the return of refugees was progressing positively, he explained. The Croatian side today for the first time submitted a draft agreement on damages for destroyed, damaged or missing property. According to Marendic, the draft Yugoslavia submitted earlier was unacceptable for Croatia, as it suggested that each country should pay the damages on its territory. Croatia demands that the damages be paid by the party which did the damage, he said. Croatia is willing to pay the damages on the territory under its control, but demands that Yugoslavia pay the damages in the formerly occupied Croatian territory, where the damage was done by the former Yugoslav People's Army and Serb paramilitary units which were supported and financed by the Yugoslav Government. The war damage in Croatia is estimated at over US$20 billion, Marendic said. The head of the Croatian Government's office for displaced persons Lovre Pejkovic today said that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees submitted Croatia with a list of 5,600 persons willing to return. According to Pejkovic, 144 from the list did return, 288 were granted return permits. Many obtained Croatian documents previously in eastern Croatia and can return, he added. UNHCR's list of persons who want to return contain 9,800 persons, while Croatia estimates the figure at 24,000, said Pejkovic. (hina) ha 102234 MET jul 98