REFUGEES SUPPORT DECISION TO END UNPROFOR MANDATE

OSIJEK, Feb 7 (Hina) - Representatives of the EU Monitor Mission in Zagreb, Alex Worstegh and Hans Schumacher, and an EU official for humanitarian issues based in the Djakovo coordination centre, today in Osijek held talks with head of the Croatian Displaced Persons' Association, Mato Simic. The EU officials were interested in the displaced people's views on Croatia's decision to end the UNPROFOR mandate, and their opinions on the Z-4 plan for a political settlement to the crisis in Croatia. They wanted to know what the displaced people thought about the construction of refugee camps, and they asked about the Displaced Persons Association's relations with the Croatian Government. Simic told the meeting that displaced persons supported the cancellation of the UNPROFOR mandate because they believed this would pave the way for them to return home. Speaking of the Z-4 plan, Simic said he would propose at the forthcoming Zagreb session of the Association's steering committee, that the Association reject the plan. The Association is aware that the Croatian displaced people and the Government have the same goals, but by its activities the Association exerts pressure on the Government to speed up the reintegration of the occupied areas and the return of 300,000 displaced people, Simic said. The Assoaciation of Croatian displaced persons opposed the construction of the refugee centres, Simic said. Life in such centres brought negative experience - there was decreasing humanitarian aid, and the living conditions of the displaced people was deteriorating, Simic said. (hina) jn sd mms 072151 MET feb 95