FIRST BUILDING IN MOSTAR'S BULEVAR STREET RECONSTRUCTED

MOSTAR, Sept 7 (Hina) - The first building in Mostar's Bulevar Street to have been reconstructed was on Saturday officially handed over for use to its pre-war tenants. #L# The reconstruction of the war-damaged building in the city centre was financed by the United States. US Ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina Clifford Bond gave to 13 pre- war tenants keys to their flats. After the ceremony, the reconstruction of another two buildings started. Bulevar Street is located in the part of the town that was heavily damaged during the Croat-Muslim conflict in 1993. At the ceremony, the head of UNCOR, the US organisation in charge of implementing US financial assistance, Gay Hovey, openly criticised the conduct of Europeans towards his country. As the first anniversary of the terror attacks against New York and Washington on 11 September is approaching, it is time Europeans thanked the United States for the help. Some are blaming the United States for everything, but at the same time they are using U.S. aid, Hovey said. Present at the ceremony were Croatian Ambassador to Bosnia, Josip Vrbosic, and the Croatian Consul General to Mostar, Ratko Maricic. (hina) ms