MOSTAR'S CROATS AND MOSLEMS FAIL TO AGREE ON RETURN OF REFUGEES

( Editorial: --> 7268 ) MOSTAR, Oct 31 (Hina) - Local Bosnian Croat and Moslem officials on Friday failed to agree on a plan for the return of refugees to their prewar homes in the Mostar area. About 3,000 families, or more than 10,000 people, have filed requests to return to the Mostar area, the UNHCR office in Mostar said in a statement. It noted that regardless of today's unsuccessful meeting, those requests would continue to be valid. The head of the Mostar office of the international high representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Martin Garrod, said that it had been agreed earlier that a draft procedure of return would be presented at today's talks. Instead, the head of the Hercegovina-Neretva cantonal government, Franjo Ljubic, presented a document demanding that plans first be drafted at the level of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Bosnian Federation and then at the level of Mostar, Garrod said. Thus everything is actually being postponed for the next ten years, Garrod stressed. As soon as I saw that document I realised that there was no political will to continue with the plan of return in the Mostar area. (hina) vm mm 311846 MET oct 97