UNHCR SATISFIED WITH REFUGEE RETURN TO REINTEGRATED AREAS

( Editorial: --> 4110 ) PULA, Sept 29 (Hina) - The refugee return process in Croatia is satisfactory, the head of the government's Office for refugees and displaced persons told reporters at the Kamenjak Refugee Centre in Pula on Tuesday. He emphasised that besides the number of returnees also very important was the how they live. Returnees have to be offered jobs to be able to actively provide for themselves and not be dependant on social assistance and international donations, Pejkovic said. The press conference in the northern Adriatic port was organised at the end a two-day workshop of the government's Office for refugees and displaced persons and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The workshop focused on a programme for the return and care for elderly and disabled returnees. Also in attendance were UNHCR chief for Croatia Robert Robinson and Deputy Labour and Social Welfare Minister Marijan Pokrajcic. Pokrajcic said that elderly and disabled returnees, refugees and displaced persons were systematically and well taken care of, thanks to the good cooperation between the government Office for refugees and the displaced with international associations, the Red Cross and the Red Half-Moon in particular, and money from the state budget. Centres for elderly and disabled returnees are reaching completion in Udbina, Zemunik, Dubrovnik and Knin. More than 14,000 elderly and disabled people, 80 percent of whom are refugees and displaced persons, are being cared for in 56 social welfare institutions throughout Croatia, said Pokrajcic. Answering reporters' questions concerning the return of refugees to Bosnia, Pejkovic said conditions for the return had not been provided in the Bosnian Serb entity even after the recent general elections and the establishment of new authorities. UNHCR's Robinson emphasised the UNHCR office in Croatia had received some 13,000 refugee requests for returning to the Bosnian Serb entity, and several hundred for returning to Bosnia's other entity, the Croat-Muslim Federation. Robinson said that, in keeping with the Dayton peace agreement, the international community would do everything to enable refugees to return to Bosnia, the Bosnian Serb entity in particular. In Croatia conditions enabling the return are far better, but not ideal, the UNHCR chief said. The UNHCR is satisfied with the progress in the return to Croatia's areas reintegrated after Serbian occupation, as well as with restored trust between its office in Croatia and Croatia's government Office for refugees. Robinson also said representatives of the Croatian government's office for refugees, UNHCR's office, international and domestic non-government organisations and Embassies were soon to meet in Zagreb to draft a document for following the refugee return to Croatia. This is one of more conditions for international associations to attend a donors' conference on Croatia. (hina) ha 291951 MET sep 98