17TH CONVOY WITH SERB RETURNEES LEAVES CROATIAN DANUBE REGION

OSIJEK, Sept 17 (Hina) - The 17th convoy with Serb refugees left the UN-administered Danube river region for their pre-war homes in other areas of Croatia on Wednesday. The convoy, organised by the Croatian Government Office for Displaced Persons and Refugees, the UN Transitional Administration and the UNHCR, was carrying 43 Serbs to the Sisak and Daruvar areas as part of a programme of organised two-way return. The convoy was seen off by UN Transitional Administrator William Walker, who said that returns should proceed in both directions in order for the whole system to function. These people want to return and we will do all we can to make it as painless as possible, Walker said. UNHCR mission chief Eduardo Arboleda said that 847 Serb refugees had so far returned to other areas of Croatia in an organised way while about 6,000 had returned spontaneously. (hina) vm 171510 MET sep 97