ZAGREB, 12 Oct (Hina) - "The Danube Is Our Aim" is the title of today's fourth conference of the Croatian Association of Displaced Persons (ZPH) which is being held in Zagreb. The conference is to tackle the reintegration of eastern
Slavonia, Baranja and western Srijem, the return of displaced people and reconstruction. The conference is attended by numerous Croatian state officials, parliamentary representatives, representatives of political parties, mayors of liberated Croatian towns and representatives of exiled municipal leaderships.
ZAGREB, 12 Oct (Hina) - "The Danube Is Our Aim" is the title of
today's fourth conference of the Croatian Association of Displaced
Persons (ZPH) which is being held in Zagreb. The conference is to
tackle the reintegration of eastern Slavonia, Baranja and western
Srijem, the return of displaced people and reconstruction. The
conference is attended by numerous Croatian state officials,
parliamentary representatives, representatives of political
parties, mayors of liberated Croatian towns and representatives of
exiled municipal leaderships. #L#
Opening the conference, ZPH President Mato Simic recalled the
two most important victories of the Croatian army and state policy
- the military actions 'Flash' and 'Storm', which secured the
return of some 120,000 displaced people. The two military victories
had also made it possible for the ZPH to influence further
developments, Simic said and called on ZPH representatives to
express their opinion on reintegration and all issues concerning
the return to the Croatian Danubian area and its reconstruction. He
also called on ZPH members to ask why the return was not proceeding
as had been planned.
President Tudjman's representative at the conference,
Parliament Vice President Jadranka Kosor conveyed President
Tudjman's wishes for the successful work of the conference,
proposing that the Croatian Association of Displaced Persons be
renamed into the Croatian Association of Returnees.
Since the last conference in April 1995, 120,000 persons had
returned to their homes and the Parliament had adopted a
Reconstruction Act, which had been made in line with the
suggestions of displaced people and returnees, Kosor said, adding
that the state leadership and President Tudjman guaranteed the
return.
Displaced people and returnees would receive regular
allowances, Kosor said, calling on the displaced to return to those
areas which can accept returnees.
The mandate of the U.N. Transitional Administration in eastern
Slavonia would be completed soon, Foreign Minister Mate Granic
said. During the last meeting between President Tudjman and the
Transitional Administrator Jacques Klein, a decisive step had been
made toward the final decision on the UNTAES mandate, Granic said.
Croatian authorities would enter the Croatian Danubian area in
early spring next year, and the UNTAES would leave the area by
early summer in the same year.
This would be General Klein's proposal to the Security Council
and U.N. Secretary General, who would reach the final decision on
the UNTAES mandate at the beginning of the next month, Granic said.
The international community was concerned about possible mass
exodus from the Croatian Danubian area, which was being used by the
local extremists, Granic said, adding that this would not influence
the pace of reintegration.
The Council of Europe would reach its decision on Croatia's
admission at the beginning of the next week, Granic said, adding he
hoped that Croatia would become part of the Council of Europe in a
month time. Croatia's admission to the Council of Europe would
represent the beginning of Croatia's integration into other
international institutions, Granic said and called on the Croatian
displaced to prepare themselves for the return to the Croatian
Danubian area and its reconstruction.
(hina) rm
121349 MET oct 96