KOSTOVIC MEETS FAMILIES OF POW'S AND MISSING PEOPLE

ZAGREB, April 3 (Hina) - The release of prisoners of war and the problem of missing persons have for the first time been indicated by the international community as top priorities, Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Kostovic told families of missing persons during talks in Zagreb on Wednesday. Kostovic added that the United Nations was also prepared to pass a special resolution which would oblige all parties to step up the two processes. In all their meetings Croatian officials had stressed the importance of exerting pressure on Belgrade to reveal facts about the POWs and missing persons, he said. Kostovic said that exhumations of mass graves in Croatia would continue soon. The Ovcara mass grave outside the eastern town of Vukovar was still guarded by international peacekeepers and its exhumation would resume in June, he added. (hina) vm jn 032331 MET apr 96