KNIN: FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS BOSNIAN CROAT REFUGEES

KNIN, March 19 (Hina) - "One of the objectives of Croatia's foreign policy is the return of Croat refugees to Bosnia-Herzegovina and their staying there, although (Croatia) understands the situation of the people who were forced to leave the places in which they have been living in recent years," Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said. The statement was given after a meeting with representatives of the OSCE, UNHCR, the authorities of the southern town of Knin and Bosnian Croat refugees who have arrived in Knin after being evicted from other people's flats in Drvar. #L# Picula told reporters the government was trying to find a solution for the evicted Croats. Most of these refugees were expelled or fled their homes in central Bosnia or the Bosnian Serb entity during the war and moved into abandoned Serb flats and houses in Drvar in 1995. Their eviction started at the end of last week. So far, some 70 refugees have arrived in Knin. Picula said a plan called "Project Drvar" had been drawn up with the aim of providing accommodation for those people, and the government would assist it. Croatia neither expects nor wants a major refugee wave, the minister said. "Croatia wants to see Croats contribute to the progress of Bosnia- Herzegovina and embrace that country as their homeland. This is where different political options in the country can play an important role and they must not allow Bosnia to become a refugee- generating country seven years after the end of the war," Picula said. "Politicians have an additional responsibility to help those people. Now that they have come here, they should be allowed to stay, Croatia will provide for them, but our main interest is to help people in Bosnia-Herzegovina, prevent refugee waves from reoccurring and enable those who want to stay in Drvar to do so," he said. The UNHCR Mission in Sarajevo said yesterday the evictions in Drvar were in line with the laws effective in the country. The UNHCR Mission in Zagreb said in a statement today that Bosnian citizens who have been arriving in Croatia from Drvar do not have the right to refugee status under international laws on refugees. (hina) sb rml