PREMIER MATESA MEETS SERB REPRESENTATIVES

( Editorial: --> 4309 ) ZAGREB, Apr 3 (Hina) - Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa Thursday held a meeting with Serb representatives in Croatia. Matesa held talks with Joint Council of (Serb majority) Municipalities president Milos Vojnovic, Serb National Council president Milorad Pupovac and Vojislav Stanimirovic, a Serb representative at the Croatian National Parliament. According to a statement from the government's Communications Office, the parties assessed that progress had been made in resolving problems encountered in the two-way return of refugees and displaced persons. Concrete steps to be taken in the future have been agreed in relation to rescinding a law on the temporary takeover and use of specific property and a law on flat leasing in liberated areas, as well as steps to be taken regarding enforcement regulations of the Law Adjustment Act. Matesa and the Serb representatives concluded it is necessary to hold a special meeting which should focus on demands made by citizens of Tenja and Mirkovci, eastern Croatia. County authorities and representatives of local self-government should attend. It was also agreed to step up the process of facilitating Croat refugees return to their houses in eastern Croatia and Serbs currently in eastern Croatia to other parts of the country. A special meeting should be held with Reconstruction and Development Minister Jure Radic to agree on concrete solutions regarding reconstruction to facilitate the return of displaced persons to Otocac and Plaski. The Serb representatives emphasised that the government's latest document on the return would considerably contribute to the realisation of the two-way return. Return procedures for those who wish to return should undergo further discussion and be simplified, they advocated. (hina) ha 031548 MET apr 98