CRO FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES PAPAL NUNCIOS FOR B-H & CROATIA

( Editorial: --> 1744 ) ZAGREB, 13 Feb (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic on Friday received the Papal Nuncio for Bosnia-Herzegovina Francesco Monteresi and Papal Nuncio for Croatia Giulio Einauedi. As said in a statement from the Croatian Foreign Ministry, Granic and the papal nuncios discussed the situation of the peace process in Bosnia-Herzegovina, paying special attention to the difficult situation of Croats in central Bosnia and the reduced number of Croats in the whole of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Granic emphasised that of 828,000 Croats in BH before the war less than 400,000 remain. Consent was achieved on the need to undertake all so that the pressures on Croats in B-H be reduced, emigration stopped and return enabled in as many numbers as possible. In that context all three assessed that the conclusions of the Conference for the Return to Sarajevo and the change of leadership in Republika Srpska could be positive signs for the return of Croats to central Bosnia, Sarajevo, the Bosanska Posavina area and Banja Luka. The statement emphasised that without the return of Croats, especially to central Bosnia, the further development of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Dayton peace agreement in B-H could come into question. (hina) jn mrb 131814 MET feb 98