CRO FOREIGN MINISTER HOLDS TALKS WITH US DELEGATION

( Editorial: --> 5885 ) ZAGREB, May 22 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic on Friday informed an American delegation, about the implementation of the procedure for individual return of persons who left Croatia and the development of a comprehensive plan for return by a special working group of the Croatian Government. The delegation was headed by US special envoy for military stabilisation and head coordinator for the project "Equip and Train", James Pardew. Granic received Pardew, special adviser for the implementation of the Dayton agreement David Dloughy and US Ambassador to Croatia William Montgomery on their request. They also discussed the opening of a Croatian Consulate-General in Banja Luka, which is expected in the near future and implementation of the peace agreement in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Granic said that the Agreement on Special Relations with the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina is being intensively negotiated. Croatia fully supports the consistent implementation of the Dayton and Washington agreements, said Granic, emphasising that the development of the BH Federation is a guarantee of continued Croatian presence in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Both sides expressed belief that these agreements would continue to be successfully implemented, which James Pardew said was contributed to greatly by the late Croatian Defence Minister Gojko Susak. (hina) jn mrb/as 221721 MET may 98