CRO FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS OSCE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR MINORITIES

ZAGREB, July 2 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic received the OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities, Max van der Stoel, on Wednesday, the foreign ministry said in a statement. Minister Granic notified the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) official of the Government's latest activities regarding the completion of the peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube area. Granic pointed out the successful organisation and conduct of elections, the constitution of local bodies of authority, and appointment of local Serbs to senior posts in state authorities, by which Croatia continued to fulfil consistently its pledges from a letter of intent sent to the UN Security Council. Speaking of the programme for refugees' return, Granic said that the Croatian Government was ready and resolute to fulfil all of its obligations it had assumed by accepting the programme for the return of displaced persons and refugees, drawn up in cooperation with UNTAES and UNHCR, and added that the return must be two-way, well planned, organised and dignified. He said he was expecting that a resolution which should be adopted by the Security Council next week, would specify the pull out of the UNTAES military component by October 15, 1997, and the end of the UN mandate in Croatia by January 15, 1998. The OSCE Commissioner said he was pleased with the agreement achieved by the OSCE on the mandate that this Organisation would have in the Croatian Danube area after the expiry of the UNTAES mandate, the statement said. Also on Wednesday, a Croatian Vice Premier, Ljerka Mintas-Hodak, received Max van der Stoel. (hina) mm mš 021710 MET jul 97