EVERYTHING READY FOR DONORS' CONFERENCE - RADIC SAYS

ZAGREB, Nov 26 (Hina)- All the preparations for a donors' conference, due to take place on December 4 and 5 in Zagreb, have been completed. About 500 concrete projects will be presented at the international conference. "The conference will open Croatia's offers to foreign partners to take part in reconstruction and the refugee return in Croatia", Reconstruction and Development Minister Jure Radic told a Thursday government session which adopted a report on preparations for the conference. Croatian side would inform the conference that the damage it suffered from the Serb expansionists and Yugoslav communists amounted to US$ 27 billion, said Radic. He hoped that direct contacts and talks with participants in the conference "would at least partly change" the balance of investment into the reconstruction of Croatia, which has so far amounted to 98 on Croatia's and two percent on the international community's part. So far, Croatia has single-handedly brought back to their homes about 650,000 persons. Another 250,000 people still need to be restituted to their homes or accommodated, Radic said. At the donors' conference, Croatia will present projects in six different areas. The projects, worth more than 15 billion kunas, clearly outline the priorities. The conference will pass in the spirit of dialogue and Croatia's openness to the international community. The support for the conference that has been expressed by the USA, the European Union and many countries, is politically important for Croatia, Foreign Minister Mate Granic stressed. (hina) mm mr/ha