BUDAPEST GROUP MIGRATION EXPERTS BEGIN TWO-DAY SESSION IN OPATIJA

OPATIJA, June 9 (Hina) - Experts of the Budapest group, a working body of the Council of Europe charge of monitoring migratory movements, began a two-day session in the northern Croatian Adriatic resort town of Opatija on Monday. The meeting, organised by the Croatian Interior Ministry, is a part of preparations for a ministerial conference due to take place in Prague in October. About 50 experts from 17 European countries will be discussing all forms of migratory movements, particularly those caused by the disintegration of states and emergence of new ones. Assistant Interior Minister Miljenko Bukovac said in his opening remarks that Croatia had found itself in a migratory maelstrom as a result of political events in the former Yugoslavia. He added that the aggression of Serbia and Montenegro against Croatia, and subsequently against Bosnia-Herzegovina, had drastically upset the economic and social stability. "Along with a large number of internally displaced citizens, Croatia also received more than 600,000 refugees from Bosnia- Herzegovina," Bukovac stressed. Bukovac said that Croatia would consistently observe all international standards and norms regarding the protection of foreigners and that it had ratified all international conventions in that field, applying and incorporating their provisions in its regulations. (hina) vm mm 091203 MET jun 97