WESTENDORP URGES CHANGE OF LAWS WHICH THWART REFUGEES' RETURN ( Editorial: --> 8339 )

( Editorial: --> 8339 ) SARAJEVO, Nov 5 (Hina) - The office of the international High Representative for the implementation of the peace process in Bosnia-Herzegovina demands the urgent change of a law regulating the issues of the ownership in the Croat-Moslem Federation so that all refugees will be able to return to their homes. A spokesman for Westendorp's office, Duncan Bullivant, on Wednesday described as "discriminatory" laws on using socially- owned flats, recently adopted by the federal Parliament. He announced some measures to be taken in order to amend those laws. Bullivant said that adopted laws thwarted the return of some categories of refugees whose flats were declared abandoned and given to other tenants to live in, although the Dayton accords' Annex VII guarantees the return of everybody. In coming days we would discuss the issue with federal government officials so that the laws be in compliance with the Dayton agreement, Bullivant said. Despite the Dayton agreement's provisions signed two years ago, authorities in the Moslem-controlled parts of the Federation do not let refugees return to the socially-owned flats, claiming that such former tenants did not submit an application for the return in due course. According to a war decree on the abandoned flats, refugees should have submitted a request for the return two weeks after the signing of the Dayton accords. Bullivant pointed to a provision under which a person who served in "enemy army" could not use the flat. He added that the aim of such a provision was to prevent Serbs' return to Sarajevo. (hina) jn mš 051503 MET nov 97