NORWEGIAN DELEGATION VISITS OSIJEK

( Editorial: --> 9041 ) OSIJEK, March 12 (Hina) - Norwegian authorities will try to, as soon as possible, next week probably, to reach a decision on the status of Croatian Serbs who had recently arrived in that country, head of a Norwegian Parliament and Norwegian Helsinki Committee representatives, Erik Solheim, told reporters Thursday, after talks with the mayor of the eastern Croatian city of Osijek, Zlatko Kramaric. Solheim said nobody would receive permanent residence in Norway due to economic reasons, adding that the employment issue and other economic problems should be solved in this region, not abroad. Granting asylum was only possible in case a person is abused on national basis, he said. Commenting on the possibility of introducing visas for Croatian citizens entering Norway, Solheim said certain Norwegian parties had mentioned the issue, but most MPs and the Norwegian government had rejected the suggestion. This would be to the damage of relations of Norway and Croatia, including Norwegian tourists visiting the Croatian coast. I believe a majority will reject the possibility, but it is not completely excluded, Solheim said. (hina) lm jn 121229 MET mar 98