AGREEMENT REACHED ON PROCESS OF SERB RETURNS TO KNIN

( Editorial: --> 9278 ) KNIN, July 22 (Hina) - Knin Mayor Josip Odak held a working meeting on Wednesday with Knin OSCE Coordination Centre chief Andreas Kohlschuter. Following the meeting, Kohlschuter emphasised that an agreement on the process of return of Croatian citizens of Serb ethnicity to the Knin area was reached. Taking historical events and the emotional issues that have arisen into account, the international community should not pressure the return, Kohlschuter said, adding that the return should be a step- by-step process. Mayor Odak judged today's meeting as useful because the accord with the OSCE representatives on the implementation of the Government's Return Programme was reached, and the details regarding the Sunshine programme of the Swiss government which will help the reconstruction of the part of Knin municipality were agreed upon. Odak responded to Kohlschuter's statement that the moving of Bosnian Croats currently living in Knin to third countries with the intermediation of various international organisations was a natural process. He said that the Croatian authorities did not intend stopping citizens from going to other countries, but that they would not allow international representatives to talk them into leaving Croatia. (Hina) is jn/mbr 221945 MET jul 98