GERMAN REPORTERS TALK TO CROATIAN PRESIDENT'S DEPUTY CHIEF-OF- STAFF

STAFF $ OSIJEK, Sept 27 (Hina) - A group of German reporters visited eastern Croatia on Saturday, under the organisation of the Croatian Embassy in Germany, and held talks with the Croatian President's Deputy Chief-of-Staff, Vesna Skare-Ozbolt in Osijek. #L# Speaking about the process of peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube river region, Ozbolt said that a lot had been achieved so far, recalling the demilitarisation of the area, elections, establishment of local authority in line with Croatian laws. She expressed conviction that the UNTAES mandate would end successfully on 15 January 1998. Ozbolt described the recent American initiative for Croatia's suspension in the Council of Europe as "too severe and not too objective," stressing that Croatia found it unacceptable to link the peace process in the Danubian area with the crisis in Bosnia- Herzegovina. She stressed that about 12,000 Serbs had returned to their homes in Croatia, while only 1,500 Croats had returned to their homes in the Danubian area. Ozbolt said that two billion dollars were needed for the reconstruction of the Danubian area. Dismissing accusations that Croatia was not co-operating with the International Criminal Tribunal, she stressed that Croatia was the most co-operative of all sides, and recalled the extradition of General Tihomir Blaskic and Zlatko Aleksovski, as well as the upcoming extradition of Pero Skopljak. Suspects of war crimes against Croats had not yet been extradited, she said, adding that Croatia could not be responsible for war crimes suspects that were in Bosnia, but was trying to influence them to give themselves up- The German reporters expressed interest in the freedom of the media in Croatia, process of return of displaced persons and forms of international help for the reconstruction of Croatia. The reporters are on Sunday to visit Djakovo, Vinkovci and Monday Vukovar. (hina) lm 272007 MET sep 97