ZAGREB, June 6 (Hina) - Mines were the greatest obstacle to the beginning of pilot programmes for the return of displaced persons to eastern Slavonia, UNHCR representative Soren Jessen-Petersen and Vice-President of the Croatian
government Ivica Kostovic said in Zagreb on Thursday.
ZAGREB, June 6 (Hina) - Mines were the greatest obstacle to the
beginning of pilot programmes for the return of displaced persons
to eastern Slavonia, UNHCR representative Soren Jessen-Petersen and
Vice-President of the Croatian government Ivica Kostovic said in
Zagreb on Thursday. #L#
Kostovic and Jessen-Petersen held talks on the implementation
of pilot programmes for the return of displaced Croats to some
villages of eastern Slavonia and the demining of these villages.
"Cooperating with the sides, UNHCR agreed on the pilot
programme for the return to Antunovac, Ernestinovo and Bilje",
Jessen-Petersen said after his talks with Kostovic.
"At the moment, mines are the greatest obstacle. A team of
UNTAES mine-disposal experts will visit the villages on Monday and
Tuesday", he said, adding that pilot programmes for the return of
displaced persons would begin as soon as possible.
Kostovic mentioned a pilot programme for the return of Croats
to eastern Slavonia to be led by the Croatian government, which
included the villages of Lipovac, Tovarnik, Marinci, Petrovo Selo
and Tenja, but the implementation of which had to be agreed on
directly with the UN Transitional Administration for Eastern
Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES).
"We shall try to make both programmes go parallel", Kostovic
said, adding that "mine-disposal was a problem in both programmes,
and that the Croatian government offered UNTAES the help of
Croatian experts for mine-disposal."
The pilot projects for the return of displaced Croats to
eastern Slavonia could begin after 1 July, when the area should be
demobilized, Kostovic concluded.
(hina) ha jn
061627 MET jun 96