NEW YORK, June 2 (Hina) - The National Federation of Croat Americans (NFCA) is willing to continue helping the development of US-Croatian relations, particularly the improvement of Croatia's image among the US public, but would like
Croatian authorities to increase their support, it was said at the annual NFCA conference in New York on Saturday.
NEW YORK, June 2 (Hina) - The National Federation of Croat Americans
(NFCA) is willing to continue helping the development of US-
Croatian relations, particularly the improvement of Croatia's
image among the US public, but would like Croatian authorities to
increase their support, it was said at the annual NFCA conference in
New York on Saturday. #L#
Envoys from all over the United States representing the umbrella
association of 130,000 Croatian emigrants said that Croatia's
reputation in the world, the American public included, could not
rely on the diaspora's good will and drive alone, especially when
Croatia lacks the infrastructure that would support certain
actions.
The NFCA regretted that Croatian Culture Minister had to cancel a
visit to the US due to other commitments, and that the head of the
government's development strategy office, Haris Boko, was unable
to come to New York.
Speaking at the conference on behalf of the Foreign Ministry,
Jelena Grcic-Polic pointed to the lack of funds as well as
coordination for a more aggressive promotion of Croatia.
The NFCA hopes an impending visit by Prime Minister Ivica Racan will
give new impetus to the development of Croatian-US cooperation, and
also hopes to meet him.
The association supported the "CroatianWorld" project which is
working on promoting Croatia on the Internet as best as possible.
In a statement on principles the NFCA adopted at its ninth annual
conference, the association requests increasing US support to
Croatia, supports Croatia's access to NATO, and encourages further
activities in demining. The NFCA also demands that the US
government help Croats in Bosnia more resolutely.
The NFCA symbolically presented the first annual "Wolfgang
Petritsch anti-award" for individuals or institutions doing the
most against the interests of Croats. The first recipient is the
former High Representative in Bosnia, Petritsch.
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