OSCE PUBLISHES WEEKLY REPORT ON SITUATION IN CROATIA

( Editorial: --> 6009 ) ZAGREB, 4 Dec (Hina) - The Office of the Mission of the Organisation for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE) in Croatia on Thursday issued a statement on the contents of its weekly report to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna. The weekly report includes serious objections by the Serb community from the Croatian Danube river region concerning the two-way return, education, local administration and the slow progress in finding a solution to problems of the local border traffic regime. The municipal head of Negoslavci (some 15 km south of Vukovar) foresees a mass exodus of Serbs should the municipality not be recognised officially by 15 January, the Mission's weekly report said. The Mission regrets that the Croatian Administration Ministry had categorised the Joint Council of (Serb-dominated) Municipalities as an 'association of citizens', thus diminishing its political role and preventing its activities in representing the interests of the Serb community in the reintegration of the Croatian Danube river region. The report also notes Croatia's successful policy towards the Czech community in western Slavonia. (hina) mm rm 042004 MET dec 97