GERMAN DEFENCE MINISTER VISITS RETURNING REFUGEES AND NATO TROOPS

( Editorial: --> 2950 ) SARAJEVO, Aug 11 (Hina) - German Defence Minister Volker Ruehe on Monday visited Bosnia-Herzegovina, where he met returning refugees and German solders serving with the NATO-led Stabilisation Force. In Breza just north of Sarajevo, Ruehe talked with refugees who were returning to the municipality as part of a European Union project renewing accommodation. Fifty-six families have moved into reconstructed flats as part of the German-financed project, while another 124 still have to be rebuilt. Some of the funds will guarantee new jobs for the returnees. Ruehe and the German Government's commissioner for refugees from BH, Ditmar Schlee, also went to Rajlovac to meet German SFOR troops. Afterwards the German Defence Minister told reporters that nothing could be done without the presence of international military forces in Bosnia, and that is why no definite period was set for German troops to remain in the country. "I believe that if the elections in September are successful, then afterwards we will be able to reduce the number of military units on the ground," Ruehe said. "If things here go well, I hope that SFOR units will only have to stay here for another two to three years." Schle said that of the 350,000 refugees Germany had received from Bosnia-Herzegovina since the beginning of the war, only between 130,000 and 140,00 had remained. "In July about 25,000 of Bosnia-Herzegovina's citizens had returned and I expect that by the end of September and the beginning of the new school year there will be an even larger-scale return," he said. (Hina) mbr 111428 MET aug 98