CROATIA IS SAFE TOURIST DESTINATION - SFOR'S GENERAL POLLE

ZAGREB, May 28 (Hina) - Croatia's Adriatic coast is a safe tourist destination despite NATO strikes against neighbouring Yugoslavia, the commander of NATO's Stabilisation Force's Office for Liaison in Croatia, Dutch General Fritz Polle, said in Zagreb on Friday. General Polle today held a farewell working meeting with Tomislav Vidosevic, an advisor to the Croatian Premier and head of the Office for Cooperation with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The war is far from Dalmatia and Croatia, Polle told reporters after the meeting. He expressed hope many people would return and realise that Croatia is indeed a safe and nice place for vacationing. The general himself saw the coastal beauties while visiting the ports of Split, Ploce, and Dubrovnik. Some touroperators cancelled planned foreign guests' holidays in Croatia believing the area to be dangerous, Polle said, but pointed out Croatia was not dangerous. He said he would recommend to his friends to visit the country. Vidosevic said last year had been characterised by "really good cooperation" with the SFOR Office for Liaison. He recalled the "Dynamic Answer" military exercise held last year, and the rotations of U.S. soldiers via the northern Adriatic port of Rijeka, which were called Task Force Rijeka 1 and 2. Vidosevic announced Task Force 3 to he held in a month. SFOR's role in Croatia is to provide logistic support to the basic mission the SFOR is implementing in neighbouring Bosnia. (hina) ha