PULA:US AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH CROAT MAYORS

PULA, July 2 (Hina) - US Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia William Montgomery on Friday met in Pula with the mayors of Rijeka, Slavonski Brod, Split, Varazdin and Pula. All five mayors visited the US in mid May on a working visit. At Friday's meeting, the mayors discussed their experiences in the US which will serve as the basis for the Association of Croatian Towns to submit a recommendation to the Croatian National Sabor to amend the Law on Local Self-Administration. Responding to questions by journalists regarding assistance to Croatia promised by the US and the international community, as well as compensation for damages to Croatia's tourism as a result of the Kosovo crisis, Ambassador Montgomery said that he "believes that in the coming days already some small but concrete measures of help and gratitude on behalf of the US and the international community will be forthcoming to Croatia for its courageous holding and support during the Kosovo crisis. These will not be huge financial resources but we will take concrete steps which will positive and vital for Croatia", the US ambassador said. Reflecting upon assistance by the international community to rehabilitate the huge damages suffered by tourism and economy in general in Croatia because of the war in Yugoslavia, Ambassador Montgomery further added that his country is giving its support to Croatia for it to be granted loans by international financial institutions with the "condition however, that economic policies are kept within recommendations and demands by these institutions". "For some time now, we have been emphasising that the US is grateful to Croatia for the assistance it offered during the Kosovo crisis, and by the same token we express understanding and empathise with the losses and damages caused to Croatia's tourism", Montgomery said. "This is a fantastic opportunity for Croatia to access Euro- Atlantic integrations and I hope that Croatia will utilise this moment to undertake necessary changes. There has never been a better moment than now", Montgomery concluded. (hina) sp