MOST DISPLACED PERSONS TO RETURN TO 5 REINTEGRATED VILLAGES IN CRO

CRO $ DANUBIAN AREA ZAGREB, Nov 5 (Hina) - Most displaced persons from five villages in the Nijemci municipality which were handed over to Croatian authority by UNTAES on 1 November are to return to their homes, head of the Nijemci municipality Ivica Klem said on Tuesday. During the Serb occupation, six thousand people had been exiled from the Nijemci municipality which had a population of 7,000 before the war (84% Croatians, 3% Hungarians and Ruthenians and 13% Serbs). In a survey conducted last year, 80% of displaced persons had expressed wish to return to their homes, Klem told Hina during a telephone conversation. "We are preparing for this, the villages are being cleared of mines and reconstructed, UNTAES has ensured unrestricted movement, but we have to be careful of the remaining mines," Klem said. The reconstruction of the villages has begun, except for the village of Donje Novo Selo which is completely damaged. Around 130,000 houses are expected to be ready to receive displaced persons by the end of the year, Klem said. Only the Transitional Police acts in the five reintegrated villages and only UN insignia are used. The whole of the reintegrated area is to be demilitarized. However, the area "is practically under Croatia's control," Klem said, adding that UNTAES and the Transitional police had "done their job correctly". (hina) lm jn 051335 MET nov 96