INCOMING US AMBASSADOR MEETS CROATIAN PARLIAMENTARY HEADS

ZAGREB, Jan 23 (Hina) - The incoming US Ambassador to Croatia, Lawrence Rossin, met on Tuesday with the speaker of the Croatian parliament's House of Representatives, Zlatko Tomcic, and the head of the House of Counties, Katica Ivanisevic. The talks focused on the role of both parliamentary houses and laws to be discussed in the upcoming session. Rossin said the United States held the Sabor's role very important for Croatia's democracy, which he stressed during the talks. The US ambassador conveyed his country's readiness to continue providing assistance and cooperate as much as possible with Croatia. As regards the continuation of his mandate in Croatia, to which he was appointed by the former US president Bill Clinton, Rossin said this would be decided by the new president George Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell. Rossin said it was common in the United States that all persons appointed by the outgoing president put their mandates at the disposal of the new administration after the change of authority. He expected though, on the basis of talks held in Washington before his departure for Croatia, that he would stay long in Croatia. Ambassador Rossin's mandate in Croatia started on January 19. (hina) rml