MOSTAR-Izbjeglice/prognanici +CROATS TO START RETURNING TO MOSTAR DISTRICT THUR; MOSLEMS FRIDAY ++MOSTAR, Dec 9 (Hina) - The head of the international peace +coordinator's regional office in Mostar on Wednesday announced +Bosnian
Croats would start returning to the southern Bosnian town +Bijelo Polje district as of Thursday, while Bosnian Moslems would +commence returning to another Mostar district, Rastane, on +Friday.+ The return is in line with an agreement on return to the Mostar area, +signed on April 16 by then current Mostar Mayor Safet Orucevic and +his deputy Ivan Prskalo.+ Richard Ellerkmann told reporters on Wednesday the impending +returns were the beginning of large-scale returns to the Mostar +area.+ He pointed out the returns were supported by the presidents of the +Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and the Party of Democratic +Action, the leading parties of the Croat and Muslim peoples +respectively.+ Ellerkmann said the international community believed the
MOSTAR, Dec 9 (Hina) - The head of the international peace
coordinator's regional office in Mostar on Wednesday announced
Bosnian Croats would start returning to the southern Bosnian town
Bijelo Polje district as of Thursday, while Bosnian Moslems would
commence returning to another Mostar district, Rastane, on
Friday.
The return is in line with an agreement on return to the Mostar area,
signed on April 16 by then current Mostar Mayor Safet Orucevic and
his deputy Ivan Prskalo.
Richard Ellerkmann told reporters on Wednesday the impending
returns were the beginning of large-scale returns to the Mostar
area.
He pointed out the returns were supported by the presidents of the
Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and the Party of Democratic
Action, the leading parties of the Croat and Muslim peoples
respectively.
Ellerkmann said the international community believed the returns
would proceed peacefully.
Asked whether possible risks the returnees might face in view of the
upcoming holiday season had been taken into account, Ellerkmann
said the matter had been discussed with both Prskalo and Orucevic
who agreed the returns should commence.
He was of the opinion the Bosnian Moslem side had complied with its
obligation to evacuate 123 Croat-owned houses in Bijelo Polje. The
Croat side however complained it was not enough.
According to Ellerkmann, the Bosnian Moslem side took note of the
complaint. He said Prskalo and Orucevic today signed an annex to the
return to the Mostar area agreement. The annex envisages that a
further additional 31 Croat-owned house in Bijelo Polje must be
evacuated by January 15, 1999 at the latest.
The head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
office in Mostar, Lenard Kotsalainen, welcomed the Croats Thursday
return, adding it would take place on the 50th anniversary of U.N.'s
Declaration on human rights.
(hina) ha