KLEIN ANNOUNCES QUICK RETURN OF DISPLACED PERSONS TO BARANJA, ILOK

ZAGREB, July 3 (Hina) - Croatia and the UN Transitional Administration in the Croatian Danube region agreed on Thursday to step up the two-way return of displaced Croats to the region and of Serbs currently staying in the region to other areas of Croatia. Speaking to reporters in Zagreb after talks with Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and government coordinator for peaceful reintegration Jure Radic, UN Transitional Administrator Jacques Klein said that the problem of the return of displaced persons should be solved quickly now that the region had been demilitarised and local elections held. Radic said that they agreed that the return of displaced people to the Baranja region and the town of Ilok and surrounding villages would begin on Monday. The Croatian government will immediately organise the return of Serbs currently living in the UNTAES-controlled region to their original homes in other areas of Croatia if they are not damaged or if they can reunite with their families, Radic said. The alternative is that the Croatian government agency for mediation in real estate transactions financially compensates those Serbs wishing to leave Croatia, he added. Citing official data, Radic said that about 2,000 families, or 6- 7,000 people, in the Danube region had so far filed requests for return to other areas of Croatia and that 1,500 people had already returned. The region is part of Croatia now, we have elected representatives and it's time for them to take up their duties and begin doing their jobs, Klein said. Klein announced that the Pakistani and Jordanian battalions would begin withdrawing this month as part of the gradual termination of the UNTAES military component. He added that UNTAES was now in a phase of civilian administration. Radic said that in the presence of President Tudjman he and Klein signed an agreement under which Croatian customs officials would soon assume duties on Croatia's easternmost border. (hina) vm mm 032136 MET jul 97