TENTH 'CROATIAN DAYS ON THE HILL' BEGINS IN WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON, March 20 (Hina) - "Croatian Days on the Hill", a three- day action organised by the Croatian-American Association (CAA), began in Washington on Sunday. Several dozen CAA members will hold a series of talks with United States congressmen and officials on Monday and Tuesday, discussing first of all the position of Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as the expansion of U.S. assistance to Croatia, the refugee return issue, and the activity of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. CAA members will meet members of the Senate and the House of Representatives and their closest associates on Capitol Hill. At the White House, they will hold talks with Ambassador Cristopher Hill, a National Security Council special adviser on the Balkans. Also planned are talks with officials at the State Department. "Croatian Days on the Hill" is being held for the tenth consecutive year and is the most important action held by the CAA, the only American Croat lobby organisation. CAA honorary president Anthony Peraica says CAA members will have a completely new situation in Washington this year given that after recent political changes, Croatia "is seen as a positive factor in the resolving of problems in South Europe, and not as a problem." (hina) ha jn