425 SERBS RETURN TO PLITVICE LAKES AREA

( Editorial: --> 9109 ) KORENICA, Dec 17 (Hina) - Since the end of the Croatian military operation 'Storm', 425 Serbs have returned to the municipality of Plitvice Lakes, 100km south of Zagreb. According to the Regional Office for Displaced Persons and Refugees in Korenica, the Serbs returned under the organisation of the Government's Office for Displaced People and Refugees and UNTAES. The largest number of returnees have come from the Croatian Danube River region - Vukovar, Beli Manastir and Ilok - as well as from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. About 150 Serbs have returned to the area outside the agreement on the two-way return, emphasised the Regional Office. It warned that some Serbs in the Korenica area had returned from Vukovar and the Danube region via middlemen, who asked for up to 500 German marks for their services. (Hina) mm mb 171943 MET dec 97