U.S. EMBASSY REPLIES TO "MISLEADING" REPORTS OVER OPPOSITION VISIT

( Editorial: --> 6736 ) ZAGREB, May 26 (Hina) - The American Embassy in Zagreb on Tuesday dismissed as "sensationalist" speculation over a visit to the United States by members of Croatia's opposition. The Embassy released a statement saying it wanted to "clarify and correct the misleading reports and statements" that had been "propagated by certain political parties and media outlets" about the visit. "We have noted with disappointment the sensationalist speculation about the possible visit of representatives of Croatia's democratic opposition to the United States," the statement said. "Although no official invitations have been extended and no firm decision made, we have indeed carried out informal discussions about the possibility of a visit to the US by representatives of Croatia's democratic opposition within the framework of the International Visitors Program (IVP)." The Embassy said it was important to note, however, that the United States Information Service (USIS) regularly sent government officials, party leaders, and non-government representatives to the US through the IVP. It said the IVP was a worldwide program that had been in existence for decades and the involvement of Croats would help to increase mutual understanding between the US and Croatia, a goal it believed that most Croatians also shared. The Embassy said almost 100 Croatians, "representing all political points of views and ways of life", had participated in the IVP since Croatian independence. These included a group of four local administration officials from Vukovar and Beli Manastir and 10 television professionals, five from Croatian Television and five from local independent TV stations. "Unfortunately, a few still cling to the communist-era belief that contacts of any Croatian citizen with foreigners is somehow unpatriotic," the statement said. "We are confident that this belief is not widely held in this country, and we are pleased to note that the (governing Croatian Democratic Union) HDZ spokesman, Mr Drago Krpina, has himself accepted an invitation to the US in a few weeks under the IVP." (hina) jn mbr/rml 262040 MET may 98