Superfluous carriage return in translated files.

I have experienced this problem regularly in Open Office Word Processor versions 2.4 and 3.1, where I use Microsoft Word 97/2000/XP as my default file format. When I reopen a previously saved file, carriage returns have been inserted to either increase the spacing between paragraphs, or to break paragraphs - not randomly, but usually where there was originally a space character.
One possibility is that Open Office uses a character to temporarily indicate where the display should break to a new line within a paragraph, and that in the saving or re-conversion process this temporary break becomes permanent.
Another possibly relevant factor is that I often use a paragraph format with spacing above and/or below the paragraph, so that I can start a new paragraph with a single carriage return.

These carriage returns appear to be non-displayed characteds that copy across from PDF files.

They can be deleted using the following procedure:

1. If non-printing paragraph marks are NOT displayed, press <Shift>+<F10> to display them. Alternatively, Select "View > Nonprinting Characters" from the menu.

2. For each line that has been copied from a PDF file:

a. Click at the end of the line
b. Press the Backspace key.

There wil be no visible change, but the invisible character will be deleted.