MONTGOMERY SPEAKS ABOUT HIS FUTURE OFFICE IN CROATIA

WASHINGTON, Oct 29 (Hina) - U.S. diplomat William Dale Montgomery on Wednesday said that during his stay in Croatia he will focus on Zagreb's cooperation in the implementation of the Dayton peace agreements and the strengthening of bilateral cooperation between Croatia and the United States. U.S. President Bill Clinton last week appointed Montgomery as the new U.S. ambassador to Croatia. Today, the Senate's committee for foreign affairs forwarded the appointment to the Senate for confirmation, expected by the year's end. Croatia is crucial for peace and stability in the region, Montgomery told the foreign affairs committee, adding there would be no successful implementation of the peace agreements on Bosnia- Herzegovina without Croatia's cooperation. Montgomery recalled the U.S. administration persisted on the obligation to cooperate with the war crimes tribunal in The Hague, and expected an integral implementation of the Dayton peace accord. We brought our determination to their attention, Montgomery said. Lasting peace and long-term stability in south-eastern Europe is one of our big foreign policy goals, he said, adding it could be effected only if all countries in the region are free, democratic, market-oriented and willing to reconcile with neighbours. The responsibility for the implementation of the peace agreements lies primarily with the signatories, the future U.S. ambassador to Croatia told the Senate's foreign affairs committee, adding the U.S. will continue with its determining role in that process. As a signatory state to the Dayton agreements Croatia helped in reaching peace in Bosnia after years of war, Montgomery said, adding Croatia has an equally important role in that it strongly assists in the full implementation of those agreements, including full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. Croatia will have a key role in solving the refugee issue, he said. If confirmed as the U.S. ambassador to Croatia, Montgomery said he would make wholehearted use of his experience in working for bilateral relations to continue between the U.S. and, he said, this new, independent and strategically significant country. This would in particular include the intensifying of business relations in both directions, he said. Overcoming obstacles caused by decades of undemocratic rule and a lack of a real private, market-oriented economy represented particular challenges for Croatia, Montgomery said, adding he would focus on those areas. (hina) ha 292340 MET oct 97