MESIC ON CROATIA-U.S. RELATIONS AT OPENING OF NEW EMBASSY

ZAGREB, June 13 (Hina) - The new U.S. embassy premises in Croatia was opened in Buzin on Friday, with attendance by President Stjepan Mesic, Deputy PM Slavko Linic, military chief of staff Josip Lucic, the diplomatic corps accredited in Croatia, and other officials. #L# The embassy testifies to the wish and intention of the U.S., its people and government to continue working with Croatia towards achieving excellent bilateral relations, said Ambassador Lawrence G. Rossin. Croatia has to do much more to become prosperous and a member of the EU and NATO, where it belongs, he said, adding Croatia and the U.S. were two friendly countries sharing joint values and interests. In his address, President Mesic said Croatia-U.S. relations had and always would involve giving and taking, had passed through different stages, with ups and downs. There have been no and there are no anti-American feelings in Croatia and Croatia is a friend to the U.S., he said. "The United States has to realise that our friendship is genuine and permanent, even when we think differently than Washington." Mesic said Croatia was aware the U.S. had been and were a firm foothold of the free world. "We know it is out of the question for the United States to even consider punishing one of its friends, with which it shares the same values and ideals, because (the friend) remains true to the basic tenets of international relations, the freedom of the individual and nations and their full equality." Mesic said Croatia saw and was creating its place in the world in the group of democratic countries, as part of the global anti-terror coalition, in the U.N., and in the EU and NATO in the immediate future. The President said Croatia was aware of the role of the U.S. in the world and that one of its priorities was to resume and expand good relations with the U.S. Mesic said that as long as Croatia did not willingly transfer part of its sovereignty onto the EU, it would make decisions on its own, bearing in mind the interests and benefit of its citizens. "We will always be ready to listen to others, and we expect others to listen to us. Familiar with U.S. history, we are certain it will... appreciate that Croatia is thinking with its own head," said Mesic. He told reporters negotiations on the non-extradition of Americans to the International Criminal Court had shown there was good will to reach an agreement and would continue. (hina) ha