HANDABAKA RECEIVES HEAD OF EU MONITORING MISSION HUMANITARIAN DEPA

DEPA $ RTMENT ZAGREB, Feb 29 (Hina) - The general secretary of the Croatian Government Office for Refugees and Displaced Persons, Pavo Handabaka, on Thursday received the head of the humanitarian department of the European Union Monitoring Mission, Hans Ewe, who was accompanied by Salvatore Lato, a statement from the Office for Refugees and Displaced Persons said. #L# "The delegation was interested in the way the Office intends to carry out the program of return of refugees and how intensive that process will be. They were also interested in the return of Croatian citizens who had fled the country during Croatian military and police operations, but now want to return. The EU humanitarians wanted to know more about the problem of old and abandoned persons as well in as about the issues relating to the peaceful reintegration of eastern Slavonia, Baranja and western Srijem," Handabaka said. Handabaka informed Ewe that refugees were returning on an individual basis. Their return would intensify during spring and summer, along with the reconstruction of the area. It was estimated that some 47,000 refugees might return to their homes in the fist phase, Handabaka said. He stressed that the help the European Union and non- government humanitarian organizations were providing should be used for the revival of agriculture, farming and other activities in the areas the refugees would return to. (hina) lm rm 291352 MET feb 96