FM MEETS DELEGATION OF ARTICLE 11

( Editorial: --> 8152 ) ZAGREB, July 16 (Hina)- A delegation of the Article 11 commission informed on Thursday Foreign Minister Mate Granic and Deputy Reconstruction Minister Stjepan Sterc about the conditions for international participation at a forthcoming conference on reconstruction and development. The delegation consisted of the US ambassador William Montgomery, a EU troika, the Austrian ambassador Rudolf Bogner, the British ambassador Colin Munro, the German ambassador Volker Haak, the representative of the EU commission Per Vinther and the head of the OSCE mission to Croatia Tim Guldimann. A statement by the OSCE mission says that the delegation welcomed the Government's suggestion that the conference should take place in late October and stressed that passing of the Programme for the return of DPs and refugees very positively influenced the international community's stand on the conference. Yet, the participation of international donors at the conference will hinge on a fast and consistent implementation of the return programme, as well as on the processing of applications for Croatian citizenship and passports and use of the mechanisms for the return of the property envisaged in the Programme. The Government is also expected to present a comprehensive reconstruction programme by early September, including needs and plans for reconstruction in all Croatian areas, especially those related to the return process. The plan should not discriminate against any area or ethnic group. The refugees will start returning in significant numbers only if the Government sufficiently encourages an atmosphere of safety and reconciliation. The positive attitude of the international community vis a vis the conference will be enforced proportionately to the Government's progress in other political areas, the OSCE's statement reads. The progress in the return process and the related issues will be assessed in mid September, when the international community will announce its final stand regarding its participation at the conference. The commission informed the Government that the international community would do its best to help it in preparation of the programme and the Conference. The commission stressed that the success of the conference would greatly depend on a consensus about its structure. The international community sees the conference as a bridge towards a more fruitful cooperation regarding Croatia's need for reconstruction and development, primarily through better co- ordination of aid efforts. The statement calls for lowering of unrealistically high expectations regarding the size of direct aid that could be committed at the conference, the OSCE's statement says. (Hina) jn mr 162204 MET jul 98