AMBASSADOR ZUZUL MEETS US DEPUTY SECRETARY OF COMMERCE

( Editorial: --> 0198 ) WASHINGTON, March 17 (Hina) - Croatia's Ambassador to Washington Miomir Zuzul on Monday held talks with US Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Stuart Eisenstadt. The two officials discussed the overall economic relations between the two countries. Special attention was paid to the construction of a motorway, which is being negotiated between Croatia and the US company Bechtel. Eisenstadt expressed his country's full support for the completion of the project adding it should be a major impulse to the overall development of economic relations. He promised to give support during the establishment of conditions for the granting of loans necessary for the construction of the motorway. Both officials expressed wish for the strengthening of economic cooperation, especially in projects which started at the time of missions of US secretaries of commerce Ron Brown and Mickey Kantor. Speaking generally about the situation in the region, the US Deputy Secretary of Commerce expressed concern over some interpretations of speeches held at the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) convention (in February this year), which lead to a conclusion that Croatia was departing from the Dayton agreement. Ambassador Zuzul said that some parts of speeches were taken out of their context and wrongly interpreted. He confirmed Croatia's strong determination to participate in fulfilling all obligations it had taken over and conviction that the Dayton agreement would be implemented successfully. (hina) mm rm 171139 MET mar 98