CROATIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES U.S. CONGRESS DELEGATION

ZAGREB, March 2 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Saturday received a United States Congress delegation led by Sonny Callahan, a Presidential Office statement said. President Tudjman stressed close diplomatic and political relations between Croatia and the US, expressing hope that economic relations would be deepened. Despite the war in the last six years, Croatia has managed to stabilize its economy and national currency. More than half of the formerly state-owned companies, which employ more than half of the workers in productive branches of the economy, have been privatized and more than 50 percent of the national income is generated by the private sector. Therefore, Croatia expects support from the European Union and the US to further strengthen its market economy, the President said. Speaking of the real reasons behind the departure of Croatian Serbs during liberation operations launched by the Croatian Army, President Tudjman said that the current situation in Sarajevo exposed the real causes of their departure. Despite appeals from the Croatian authorities to stay, the Serbs left under the influence of propaganda. For humanitarian reasons, Croatia is willing to allow those who did not commit war crimes and who are ready to accept Croatia as their homeland, to return, he said. Croatia can also prove this with its commitment to the peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danubian area, which, along with the establishment of the Bosnian Federation and the implementation of the peace agreement, is Croatia's basic objective in the next period, the President stressed. The US Congress delegation were interested in the way in which the displaced people and refugees would return to their homes. Callahan expressed satisfaction with Croatian economic achievements and the state of democracy in the country as well as with Croatia's willingness to cooperate with the Hague-based International War Crimes Tribunal. Croatian officials who also attended the meeting included Foreign Minister Mate Granic, Chairman of the Parliament Foreign Policy Committee Zarko Domljan, Croatian Information Service Director Miroslav Tudjman, Head of the Interparliamentary Cooperation Committee Zdravko Busic, Head of the President's Cabinet Gordan Radin, and Presidential Aide Major General Kresimir Kaspar. The US Congress delegates were accompanied by US Ambassador to Croatia Peter W. Galbraith, the statement concluded. (hina) vm 022147 MET mar 96