ZAGREB, Dec 1 (Hina) - The construction of the new US embassy building will be completed in spring 2003, a temporary charge d'affaires at the US Embassy in Zagreb, Charles L. English, told reporters at a ceremony marking the beginning
of construction works on a new US embassy building in Buzin near Velika Gorica, south-east of Zagreb, on Friday. At the ceremony, which was attended by US and Croatian officials, including First Vice Premier Goran Granic and Zagreb Deputy Mayor Darinko Kosor, English announced the construction of a magnificent building for the 21st century, which would, among else, reflect the relations between the two countries. The new magnificent building, which will be constructed in line with the latest technological achievements, will reflect the kind of relations which are needed for Croatia to take its place in the international community, he said. The building for the 21st century
ZAGREB, Dec 1 (Hina) - The construction of the new US embassy
building will be completed in spring 2003, a temporary charge
d'affaires at the US Embassy in Zagreb, Charles L. English, told
reporters at a ceremony marking the beginning of construction works
on a new US embassy building in Buzin near Velika Gorica, south-east
of Zagreb, on Friday.
At the ceremony, which was attended by US and Croatian officials,
including First Vice Premier Goran Granic and Zagreb Deputy Mayor
Darinko Kosor, English announced the construction of a magnificent
building for the 21st century, which would, among else, reflect the
relations between the two countries.
The new magnificent building, which will be constructed in line
with the latest technological achievements, will reflect the kind
of relations which are needed for Croatia to take its place in the
international community, he said.
The building for the 21st century marks the continuation of
cooperation in building partnership and friendship for the 21st
century, he added.
English thanked Croatian authorities on state, municipal and local
levels for their cooperation.
Answering to numerous inquiries about the location of the embassy,
English pointed to the omnipresence of terrorism, citing as
examples the terrorist attacks in Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam two
years ago and the latest attack on the US Navy ship Cole and its 17
casualties, confirming the main reason for the relocation was
security.
Deputy US Secretary of State, Patsy Thomasson, in charge of
overseas construction, said security standards in all countries in
which the United States had its embassies were unique and were in no
way related to the host-country.
Security measures refer to trans-national and not local terrorism,
Thomasson said, expressing gratitude to the Croatian government
and the Zagreb leadership.
First Vice Premier Goran Granic said the construction of the new
embassy building was a very important message for Croatia.
The old embassy became too small for new dynamic relations between
the United States and Croatia, Granic said, adding that the
official start of construction works meant turning a new page in the
cooperation between the two countries.
Granic also expressed hope US investments in Croatia and traffic of
people, goods and ideas would become bigger.
The new US embassy building at Buzin, with four levels, will cover
an area of 7,000 square metres. The entire building, with
accompanying sites, will spread over an area of six hectares.
The main contractor is the construction company J.A. Jones from
North Carolina, and some Croatian companies, such as Tehnika,
Elektropromet and Zeljezara Split, will also participate.
Costs are estimated at some US$40 million, of which ten million will
be spent directly in Croatia.
About 300 Croatian workers will participate in construction works
as full-time employees.
(hina) rml