GRANIC: DONORS CONFERENCE WILL FACILITATE AN ALL OUT RETURN

( Editorial: --> 9497 ) WASHINGTON, July 23 (Hina)- Foreign Minister Mate Granic said on Thursday that a donors conference would enable an all out return of refugees and displaced persons to Croatia, as the past level of international aid was not sufficient to complete that goal. "I think that if the international community backs the donors conference we will find it easier to complete the return process," he said at a conference at the National Press Club in Washington. When asked if Croatia was happy with the past inflow of international aid, Granic said that, as far as reconstruction and development were concerned, "we are not satisfied, hence our high expectations for the forthcoming conference on reconstruction and development". "We are optimistic about the prospects of broad international support for the conference," he said. During his stay in Washington Granic talked with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, special US representative for implementation of the Dayton Accords, Bob Gelbard, Deputy Defence Secretary Walter Slocombe and the Foreign Affairs Committee chairman of the US Congress House of Representatives, Benjamin Gilman. The US officials welcomed Croatia's progress, adding that the US would back Croatia's bid or Euro-Atlantic institutions if it fully implements the Dayton Accords, completes the return of refugees and the democratisation process. The Croatian Parliament adopted an all-encompassing plan for the return of refugees in June. Croatia is the only country in the region which has adopted and implemented a programme for the return of all refugees and displaced persons irrespective of their ethnic origin, Granic said. He said that for the time being he could not predict how much aid could be pooled at the donors conference. When asked to assess the chances for a visit to the US by Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, Minister Granic said that, provided that Croatia fulfils conditions for membership in NATO's Partnership for Peace programme, "they would be very high". Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Gilman has invited a Croatian parliamentary delegation to visit Congress, Granic told a press conference in Washington on Wednesday. He added that the meeting with the Republican leader discussed a wide range of issues, including Croatia's domestic situation, its role in the region and the Kosovo crisis. (Hina) mro+as jn /mbr 232017 MET jul 98