OSCE MISSION CHIEF WELCOMES TUDJMAN'S STATEMENT ON SERBS' RETURN

( Editorial: --> 9167 ) ZAGREB, Dec 17 (Hina) - The head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission in Croatia, Tim Guldiman, on Wednesday welcomed a statement by Croatian President Franjo Tudjman made at a December 6 meeting with Serb leaders, in which he pledged that all obstacles to the integration of the Serb community into Croatia would be overcome. Guldiman welcomed the statement by the Croatian president as "an important and positive step." "If the president's clearly formulated intentions are implemented quickly, the fear of the Serb population regarding their future in Croatia might calm down," the OSCE said in a statement. Serb leaders and representatives of UNTAES, the National Trust Establishment Commission and the OSCE have initiated a series of public meetings in the Danube river region of eastern Croatia to encourage the Serb population to stay, the statement said, In its weekly report the OSCE mission criticised that "throughout Croatia, local high-ranking authorities, county prefects and mayors, express negative attitudes against the return of Serbs to their area." "Due to a shortage of public funds, they often use a 'priority' list of beneficiaries, in this order: 1. Croat displaced persons, 2. Croat refugees from Bosnia or FRY (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) and 3. Returning Serb displaced persons," the statement said. (hina) vm mm 172030 MET dec 97