"CROATIAN DAYS AT HILL" TO BE FINISHED

WASHINGTON, March 16 (Hina) - The final third day of the ninth traditional event called "Croatian Days at the Hill" is to be marked by meetings between American Croats with about 50 members of both chambers of the U.S. Congress. Two officials of the Croatian American Association (CAA), which has organised the event, will be received by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert. Several American Croats will hold a meeting with the head of the international relations committee, Benjamin Bilman. On Monday, CAA members handed a map of documents with their views on what they believe are the most important issues in the American- Croatian relations to offices of all 535 members of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Participants in this year's "Croatian Days" would like to initiate the set-up of the Croatian Congress Club as an informal group of Congressmen for tackling issues in the American-Croatian ties. They directly requested the American support to Croatia's access to the Partnership for Peace programme. The CAA representatives demanded the trial of perpetrators who committed war crimes against Bosnia-Herzegovina's Croats and said they expected the development of the economic ties between the United States and Croatia. These issues as well as the comprehensive American-Croatian relations were topics of Monday's meetings when the participants in this event held talks at the National Security Council and the State Department where their host was Ambassador Robert Gelbard, a special American envoy. During the two-hour-talks Gelbard and the CAA members discussed prospects of Croatia's entrance into the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and U.S. diplomat said there were no major hurdles for Croatia's bid to join that organisation. They also talked about the "Croatia in Chicago" event scheduled for 6-8 April. Gelbard promised to attend that promotion of Croatia. The CAA members considered as important to be able to talk with their elected representatives at the Congress as well as with senior officials and to use such an occasion for promoting the mutual interest in the development of the cooperation between the United States and Croatia. On Monday evening, at a reception held in the Croatian embassy, the head of the "Matica" for the Croatian Diaspora, Ante Beljo, handed to a former CAA president, Anthony Peraica, a decoration which Croatia's President Franjo Tudjman conferred on him. Thanking for the honour, Peraica said it was the credit given for the entire Association and a stimulation for the further work. (hina) ms .