PRESIDENT MESIC RECEIVES UNITED STATES CONGRESSMEN

ZAGREB, July 7 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic on Friday received a group of United States Congressmen who arrived in Croatia to express their support to Croatia's new political orientation. We arrived in Croatia to express support to the newly elected democratic authority. We support and appreciate efforts of the President and the Government in the support to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The United States also supports efforts of this Government invested in the establishment of a peaceful coexistence of all citizens, said the head of the delegation, Republican from Arizona Matt Salmon. Senator George Voinovich from Ohio greeted Croatian reporters in Croatian and said that the United States Congress recently expressed its satisfaction with changes in Croatia by approving US$21 million of help to Croatia. Democrat Steny Hoyer from Maryland said in the Unites States' opinion, the new Croatian Government represented the future, just as Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic is the symbol of the past in the region. The United States delegation also included Louise Slaughter from New York, Benjamin Cardin from Maryland, Bob Clement from Tennessee, and Robert Cramer from Alabama. (hina) it