TUDJMAN RECEIVES MEMBERS OF GOVT OFFICE FOR OCCUPIED AREAS

ZAGREB, June 22 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Saturday received representatives of the Government Office for Restoration of Croatian Authority in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srijem, led by head of the Office Ivica Vrkic. Also attending were the Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of the Coordination for Peaceful Reintegration of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srijem, Ivica Kostovic, the President's Deputy Chief of Staff, Vesna Skare-Ozbolt, the head of Slavonia-Baranja County, Branimir Glavas, and the head of Vukovar-Srijem County, Vlado Osust. Kostovic told reporters after the talks that "we have discussed the current degree of integration, assessed favourably the completion of the demilitarization process and discussed further steps to be taken." Kostovic stressed that a priority in the further process of reintegration of the remaining occupied areas of eastern Croatia would be the return of Croatian refugees to those areas, either as part of a pilot program or outside of it, "since there is no obstacle to it." He announced the involvement of Croatian public companies in the reconstruction of towns and villages in the areas, stressing the need for compliance with Croatian government plans. Kostovic said that a major event would be the opening of the Vinkovci-Tovarnik railway line after it was cleared of mines which represented the main obstacle to the return to some villages. Vrkic said that meetings with President Tudjman would help his office and all its personnel in the implementation of state policy in the reintegration process, taking into account international factors. Vrkic said that the peaceful reintegration process was halfway to its completion and that his office was now faced with the task of speeding up the process of return. (hina) vm 221601 MET jun 96