LYNN MONTGOMERY ENSURES US1 MILLION FOR DEMINING TWO VILLAGES

SIBENIK, March 8 (Hina) - Lynn Montgomery, the wife of US Ambassador to Croatia, William Montgomery, on Wednesday visited the Sibenik- Knin County where she held talks with the county prefect Gordan Barak and county officials about problems of mine-clearing and co- existence. Present at the meeting were Charles Anderson, director of the US Agency for International Development, and Dimitrije Todorovic, the agency's commissioner for Croatia. After talks with Barak, Montgomery visited the villages of Cista Velika and Cista Mala in which the programme of humanitarian mine- clearing, the return of refugees , revitalisation of the economy and the renewal of co-existence will be implemented. She managed to secure almost one million dollars for clearing the area of mines, planting new vineyards and the reconstruction of a school and clinic in these villages in the north part of the Vodica town. The funds for mine-clearance and reconstruction was donated by the USAID, associations of American vine-growers and some American humanitarian associations. The two villages were chosen by Montgomery because they are neighbouring villages, Croats living in one and Serbs in the other. During the five years of the Homeland War these two villages were on the separation-road and both suffered grave damage. Thanks to a successful reconstruction, exiled Croats returned to Cista Velika and the Serbs are beginning to return to Cista Mala. The mutual problem of both villages are mines which have since 1995 killed three people and more than 60 goats and sheep. In this mission Montgomery was joined by the wives of the Czech and Belgian ambassadors to Croatia, Milena Kudelova and Karine Liebaut. (hina) lml mm