OGATA: 1998 WILL BE THE YEAR OF RETURN OF REFUGEES & THE DISPLACED ( Editorial: --> 2812 )

( Editorial: --> 2812 ) ZAGREB, Nov 21 (Hina) - Next year will be the year of the return of displaced persons and refugees in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees told reporters in Zagreb Friday. Ogata held talks with Vesna Skare-Ozbolt, chairwoman of the National Committee for the Restoration of Inter-ethnic Trust. The talks focused on the termination of the UNTAES mandate in eastern Croatia, and the cooperation between the Croatian government and the UNHCR in a two-way return of displaced persons and refugees in Croatia after the end of the UNTAES mandate in mid-January. Asked why her forecasts that 1997 would be the year of the return were not achieved, Ogata said the UNHCR had needed time to establish mechanisms and to support them with trust. I believe we will see the results next year, she said. A certain number of displaced persons had already returned, Ogata said, but added the process was just beginning. Croatia's Skare-Ozbolt said she acquainted the UN High Commissioner for Refugees with all activities Croatia's policy intended to take after the end of the UNTAES mandate. Croatia will show its political will to continue with all that has been achieved to date, she said. Ogata was satisfied with the work of the National Committee for the restoration of inter-ethnic trust which, she said, would ensure that UNHCR's results in returning refugees and displaced persons to their homes be lasting. Speaking about the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ogata said the return of refugees there was not as she had expected. However, she said, about 400,000 refugees had returned to where they lived before. The main reason for the poor return was lack of trust and the fact that the refugees' homes were currently occupied by other refugees, Ogata said. Bosnian Croats who had been displaced to Croatia were in the same position, she said, adding the UNHCR was aware of their problem. This is all a matter of ensuring temporary accommodation for those who are occupying the homes of other people, Ogata said. She said the international community was willing to settle the issue of temporary accommodation and that special agencies should be engaged to that effect. Ogata visited Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday and Thursday in order to stimulate the return of refugees. She said that Biljana Plavsic, the president of the Bosnian Serb republic, had told her that Croats and Bosniaks from Banja Luka could return there, but that the accommodation of Serbs currently in their homes had first to be seen to. (hina) ha 212024 MET nov 97