PARLIAMENT DISCUSSION ON REPORT ON MISSING AND IMPRISONED CLOSED ( Editorial: --> 2150 )

( Editorial: --> 2150 ) ZAGREB, 19 Nov (Hina) - The Croatian Parliament House of Representatives on Wednesday afternoon closed its discussion on the work of the Commission for Missing and Imprisoned Croatian Citizens between 27 November 1996 and 21 October 1997. The solution of the problem of missing and imprisoned persons would continue with even increased intensity, with Parliament support, said Vice Premier Ivica Kostovic at the end of today's discussion, which was also attended by representatives of associations of families of missing and imprisoned persons. The lower house ended today's session by concluding discussions on three other bills. The question of missing and imprisoned persons is not only a humanitarian, ethical issue but also a political one, the solution of which should be insisted upon, MPs said. Expert teams for the exhumation and identification of remains and teams for psychological and social aid to the families of missing and imprisoned persons should be reinforced. One had to be more aggressive in negotiations with Yugoslavia, international organisations, the United Nations and the Council of Europe, MPs added. Ivan Gabelica of the Croatian Pure Party of Rights (HCSP) said he was "amazed at the tolerance of the policy which always makes concessions to the Serbs and helps them hide their crimes". The truth about the fate of the missing has to be found out and it must not be sacrificed for political pragmatism, Gabelica said. Petar Zitnik of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) agreed with Gabelica, adding the Serb side was still holding prisoners. The international community should exert the same kind of pressure on Belgrade that it is exerting on Croatia concerning the protection of human rights, said Josko Kovac of the HSS. Dragica Zgrebec of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Ante Tukic of the Croatian Social-Liberal Party (HSLS) asked that the process of identification be accelerated. Drazen Svagelj of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) wanted to know if there was any information on the fate of people who had been court martialled following the occupation of Vukovar. MPs agreed the Parliament Resolution on Missing and Imprisoned Persons of 1996 should be revitalised. Vlado Jukic of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) expressed dissatisfaction with the work of the Government, which he holds responsible for not being able to provide data on missing and imprisoned persons. Commenting on a series of objections concerning the need for speeding up the removal of mines from areas believed to hide mass graves, Mladen Markac of the HDZ said the Interior Ministry already had teams ready to carry out the task. Closing the discussion, Vice Premier Kostovic said the Croatian state policy had done all it could, in given circumstances and power relations. Kostovic said 6,800 persons sought by Croatia had been released during the war, at a time Croatia was not yet internationally recognized. A total of 21,000 persons had been exchanged in the area of former Yugoslavia. Out of a total of 44,000 missing persons in the former Yugoslavia, Croatia demanded the release of 13,000 persons. Now Croatia is seeking a little more than 2,000 people, Kostovic said. Commenting on claims that missing Croatian persons were still being held in Serb prisons, Kostovic said the Government had no such knowledge. We cannot tell anything to any family without reliable evidence, Kostovic said. The lower house today also considered bills on confirming agreements between Croatia and Italy on the acceptance of illegally residing people, on social insurance and on changes to the Act on Administrative Taxes. (hina) rm 192037 MET nov 97