CROATIAN GOVERNMENT HOLDS SESSION

ZAGREB, March 13 (Hina) - The Croatian government on Thursday declared March 24 a day of mourning for all victims of the Homeland War. Minister without portfolio Juraj Njavro said that the decision was prompted by the beginning of the identification and reburial of victims exhumed from the Ovcara mass grave near Vukovar. The government approved changes to a programme for the employment of demobilised members of the Croatian army to make it easier for them to repay the loans they had been granted last year for self-employment. Njavro said that employment had been provided for more than 13,000 demobilised soldiers while 2,700 had been granted loans for self-employment. He added that there were 40,000 demobilised soldiers at the moment and that their number was increasing by the day. Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa reported that the Board of Executive Directors of the International Monetary Fund had approved a three-year arrangement with Croatia. The government decided to initiate procedure for concluding a memorandum of understanding on the protection of intellectual property rights with the United States. It was said that the memorandum would facilitate Croatia's entry into the World Trade Organisation. Foreign Minister Mate Granic reported on the completion of negotiations with Switzerland on abolishing visa requirements, and the government authorised Deputy Foreign Minister Ivo Sanader to sign that agreement. The government also accepted a proposed strategy of urban planning. (hina) vm mm 131556 MET mar 97