ABOUT 1,600 DISPLACED PEOPLE RETURN TO CRO DANUBE AREA

OSIJEK, Aug 13 (Hina) - The Croatian Government's office for refugees and displaced persons has issued about 150 documents for the return of families that are coming back to Osijek-Baranja County's parts under the UN Transitional Administration, and by the end of this week more than a thousand families should receive these documents. The regional refugee office's head, Nada Arbanas, said in Osijek on Wednesday that about a hundred people had returned so far to the area in an organised manner, and some 1,500 people had come back spontaneously and they were now receiving documents for the plan of the return. The displaced whose houses are not vacant, will return according to dynamics of the return of (Serb) dislocated people to other parts of Croatia or according to dynamics of the sale or exchange of property (of the Serb dislocated people) via the state-run real estate agency, Arbanas told the news conference. She said that on Wednesday 29 persons in convoy along with their property left the UNTAES-controlled area for the areas of Zadar (southern Croatia) and Korenica (central Croatia). The return of Serb dislocated persons would be stepped up in the coming period, so that houses would be ensured for the return of Croatian dislocated persons, she said. Speaking of the return to the Croatian Danube river area (under the UN Transitional Administration), Arbanas said that the development and reconstruction ministry would submit to the refugee office a list of vacant houses where displaced people could move into. First 15 houses in Bilje should be renovated this week, and a high number of the displaced could come back to Ernestinovo and Antunovac, she added. Arbanas stressed that for the time being "there are no worrisome incidents" on the ground. She called on the displaced to be patient and not to obstruct the process of the return by individual acts. She reiterated that all issues in connection with the return should be solved in line with the reached agreements. (hina) jn mš 131425 MET aug 97