SERB NATIONAL COUNCIL OPPOSES RESTRICTED RETURN OF REFUGEES

( Editorial: --> 2204 ) ZAGREB, 18 June (Hina)- The Serb National Council on Thursday tentatively supported the Government's efforts for the return and accomodation of all refugees. However, the Council opposes the prescribing of the number of persons who will be allowed to return. The Council expects from the Government to rectify some "ambiguous and incomplete" provisions regulating property issues before it presenta a draft of the programme to the Parliament for ratification. Speaking in front of the journalists after a closed door session of the presidency, Milorad Pupovac, president of the Council, asked for participation of Serb representatives in local and national bodies that will monitor implementation of the programme. "We hope that be the end of the next week, the Government's programme will be ratified by the Parliament and that it will accomodate our objections", Pupovac said. When asked whether he approved of the five year deadline for the return of the displaced persons and refugees, Pupovac said he was aware that the return would take several years but that he disapproved of the control of the process through annual quotas. "We disagree with the limitation of the number of returnees, because that should be determined by the conditions for the return", Veljko Djakula, member of the Council's presidency said. He asked that the programme provided for the return of homeless refugees with tenancy rights. Furthermore, the programme should guarantee their property and tenancy rights, Djakula believes. The Council's leadership said that late next week it would visit refugee camps in the FRY to inform Serb refugees there about the terms for the return to Croatia. Novosti, the Serb minority's daily newspaper, will be launched on 1 September, Pupovac announced today. (Hina) mr 181917 MET jun 98