THREE BOSNIAN MUNICIPALITIES EARN "OPEN TOWN" STATUS

SARAJEVO, July 18 (Hina) - Three municipalities on the territory of the Bosnian Croat-Moslem Federation have earned "open town" status after demonstrating a willingness to allow refugees belonging to minority ethnic groups to return and live in safety in their pre-war homes. Spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Kris Janowski said in Sarajevo on Friday that the three municipalites -- Konjic, Busovaca and the Sarajevo suburb of Vogosca -- could count on significant financial aid from the UNHCR and the United States government. A dozen more municipalities in the Federation had shown interest in this initiative while the response in the Bosnian Serb entity was very poor, he said, adding that only Serb authorities in Sipovo and Ribnik near Konjic had shown some interest. Janowski warned that local authorities elsewhere in Bosnia- Herzegovina often acted contrary to efforts aimed at ensuring the safe return of refugees and displaced persons. He particularly cited the cases of Croat-controlled Stolac and Drvar. The municipal authorities in Stolac again suspended the return of refugees after 16 Moslem families had returned there, while those in Drvar made every effort to obstruct the return of Serbs, he said. Despite the intensive pressure by the UNHCR, only seven persons had returned to Drvar and two of them had to leave it again because they could not move into their house, Janowski said. (hina) vm mm 181631 MET jul 97