CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES U.S. CONGRESS DELEGATION

ZAGREB, Jan 13 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic received a delegation of the United States Congress on Monday, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Granic informed the Congressmen about the current political and economic situation in the country, expressing confidence in the successful continuation of the process of peaceful reintegration of UN-administered eastern Croatia in line with an agreement between Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and UN Transitional Administrator General Jacques Klein. Croatia is interested in developing good neighbourly relations with all countries that emerged in the area of former Yugoslavia, but as a Central European country striving to enter Euro-Atlantic integration processes, it does not accept any politically conditioned associations in the region of Southeastern Europe, Granic said. In this regard, the talks also focused on developments in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and the Congressmen expressed their first-hand impressions about the current political situation there. Granic stressed that Croatia attached particular importance to the consistent implementation of the Dayton peace agreement and the agreement on the normalization of relations between Croatia and Yugoslavia. He expressed expectations that the current internal affairs in Yugoslavia would be overcome in a way that would lead to strengthening peace and stability in this part of Europe. Granic also expressed satisfaction with the positive course of the peace process in Bosnia-Herzegovina, reiterating Croatia's firm commitment to the implementation of the Washington and Dayton peace accords, the statement concluded. (hina) vm 131824 MET jan 97