OSIJEK MAYOR ORGANISES FAREWELL RECEPTION FOR U.S. AMBASSADOR ( Editorial: --> 0677 )

( Editorial: --> 0677 ) OSIJEK, Nov 13 (Hina) - The mayor of Osijek, Zlatko Kramaric, on Thursday organised a farewell reception for the outgoing US Ambassador to Croatia, Peter Galbraith. Present at the ceremony were numerous town and county cultural and economic life representatives. Kramaric thanked Galbraith for everything he had done for "peace to reign in this region", recalling his important role in the signing of the Erdut Agreement. The past four and a half years were historic for this part of Croatia, Kramaric said, adding that during his first official visit, Galbraith's exclamation that he had visited the Croatian town of Vukovar had greatly changed the world's perception. Osjek was the town I visited the first when I assumed the duty of Ambassador and I visited it most frequently, Galbraith said. Looking at this beautiful town, greatly devastated, I wondered what kind of barbarians could bombard it and the people. Since then I have tried to explain some things to the world, and my country, and the result is the Erdut Agreement, Galbraith said. The completion of the UNTAES mandate was not the completion of the peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube river region, because Croatia had to be reintegrated into the West, he said. I leave here with a feeling that I have a place in the new history of your country, Galbraith added. Osijek-Baranja County Prefect Anica Horvat thanked Galbraith, adding that he had been an active participant in the historic events in this part of Europe. (hina) lm 132237 MET nov 97