U.S. OFFICIALS VISIT SISAK-BASED DE-MINING CENTRE

SISAK, Jan 21 (Hina) - A delegation of the U.S Administration, led by the director of the Partnership for Peace programme at the State Department, James F. Lawrence, on Friday visited the Croatian De- Mining Centre in the town of Sisak. The Centre's head Damir Gorseta informed this delegation, that is paying a visit to Croatia for a few days, of the centre's work and the system of humanitarian de-mining. Gorseta described the cooperation with U.S. authorities as very important for humanitarian mine clearance in Croatia. In 1999, the U.S. Administration gave one and a half million U.S. dollars for mine clearance in Croatian counties of Sisak-Moslavina, Zadar and Vukovar-Sirmium. He recalled that this centre and American institutes furthered technical cooperation in development and adoption of new technologies in removing land mines. James F. Lawrence, pointing out the importance of cooperation between the United States with mine-stricken countries, said both private entrepreneurs and firms were involved in this cooperation. The U.S. Administration will assist the Sisak-based centre to continue successful and effective activities. It will also support the work of the Foundation "Croatia Without Mines", established by the Centre six months ago, and help raise funds abroad for the De- Mining Centre and humanitarian mine clearance. It will double help for Croatia via the international foundation for mine clearance and help to mine victims (ITF), based in Slovenia, Lawrence added. He announced assistance to be offered to the Sisak Centre through high software technology. Present at Friday's talks were the head of the United Nations programme for mines, Richard Tood, and the head of Western European Union mission for mine clearance in Croatia, Swedish Colonel Olle Broman. (hina) mm ms