USA DONATES 200,000 DOLLARS TO CITY OF SPLIT

SPLIT, Mar 7 (Hina) - The wife of the US Ambassador to Croatia, Lynn Montgomery, and the director of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Croatia, Charles Aanenson, on Tuesday signed with Split Mayor Ivan Skaric an agreement on a US$200,000 donation by the US Government to the City of Split. The two sides agreed that the donation would be used for the reconstruction of the operating section of the children ward at the Split Clinic, the reconstruction of and introduction of computers to the City Library and the University Library, the purchase of a concert piano and financial assistance for the Croatian National Theatre in Split. Aanenson said the donation was small in comparison to the damage Croatia's economy, especially tourism, suffered during NATO's operation in Kosovo, adding the United States was aware of that fact. He said the donation was only symbolic help to the city which the US government was considering when discussing its long-term investments in Croatia. Mrs Montgomery said she would visit the Sibenik and Zadar hinterland on Wednesday. She added the US government has so far given about half a million dollars for mine clearance in the Sibenik and Zadar hinterland. Mayor Skaric suggested that the US and other embassies in Zagreb accept a proposal by the City of Split for participating in the construction of a village near the observatory on Mt Mosor. The city authorities would like every embassy to build its own house, where students and pupils from their countries would come. The purpose of the project is to establish a school in nature. Mrs Montgomery was accompanied by the wives of the Belgian and Czech Ambassadors, Karine Liebaut and Milena Kudelova. (hina) mm rml