CROATIA HAS ACHIEVED MUCH SINCE 1993 - GALBRAITH

( Vidi vijest: 6237 ) PULA, Oct 27 (Hina) - Carrying out its transition into the genuine democratic society and treating all of its citizens equally, regardless of their nationalities, Croatia could become one of the first candidates for the integration into European associations, U.S. Ambassador to Croatia, Peter Galbraith, said on Monday adding that one of the preconditions for the joining of those associations was also that all media could discuss openly the country's state of affairs. I would not be surprised if Croatia could be a candidate for the NATO in 1999, Galbraith said at the panel "The Future of the Croatian- American Relations", held in Pula. He expressed hope of the future of Croatia as a country belonging to the community of peaceful, democratic and prosperous Western states. The U.S. Ambassador added that he was pleased with his visit to Istrian County which, he said, could be proud of its tolerance. Commenting on his mandate as the U.S. Ambassador to Croatia, Galbraith stressed that his first official travelling in the country was to Vukovar. Many regarded this as my not diplomatic act, and when they asked me why I had visited Vukovar, I replied that I was at the ambassadorial post in Croatia and that's why I wanted to go to Vukovar, he said. Since my arrival in Croatia I advocated the independence and territorial integrity of Croatia, the peaceful reintegration of occupied Croatian regions and the cease of Moslem-Croat conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Galbraith added. The U.S. police of 1993 has not been changed to date, he said adding that he had to admit that at the beginning the U.S. diplomacy failed to meet expectations and acted too slowly in recognition of the independence of Croatia and Slovenia. The U.S. Ambassador said Croatia had achieved much in all areas since 1993 to date. I am sorry that I will not be in the country to follow the great progress of Croatia, but I know that the U.S. President has chosen a very skillful man who will succeed me to this post, Galbraith concluded. (hina) jn mš 272343 MET oct 97