DEPUTY PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER ON VISIT TO WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON, April 25 (Hina) - U.S. officials at the State Department and National Security Council were receptive to Croatia's view of Bosnia, Croatian deputy parliamentary speaker Zdravko Tomac said on Tuesday at the end of a two-day visit to Washington. Tomac held talks with U.S. President George Bush's adviser on Southeast Europe Gregory Schulte, the National Security Council director for Europe, Dean Pittman, and the State Secretary's deputy assistant for Europe, Jim Swigert. Tomac said he criticised the performance of international community representatives in Bosnia. "The talks were very exhausting and difficult," he said, but added they had been successful as Croatia's platform towards Bosnia "can hardly be contested." "The Americans did not have any special requests of Croatia nor remarks about the policy of Croatia's authorities," he said. Tomac's talks in Washington also tackled Croatia's access to NATO and the situation in the region. "There were differences of opinion" as to the situation in Yugoslavia and its republic of Montenegro in particular, he said. Tomac also visited Chicago where he met representatives of the numerous local Croat American community. (hina) ha