CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER RETURNS FROM UNITED STATES

ZAGREB, April 12 (Hina) - The tragic accident that happened near Dubrovnik last week, when US Commerce Secretary Ronald Brown lost his life, will in no way affect Croatian-American cooperation, Croatian Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa said in Zagreb on Friday upon return from the United States. Matesa headed a Croatian delegation, including Economy Minister Davor Stern and Deputy Foreign Minister Ivan Simonovic, to the funeral of Secretary Brown at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington on Wednesday. "We have been given assurances from the highest places in the American administration that the United States is willing to continue where Secretary Brown stopped," Matesa said. During their visit, the Croatian government officials had held talks with Vice President Al Gore and senior Commerce Department and State Department officials. "These talks confirmed that American-Croatian relations were making good progress," Matesa said, adding that further talks and visits by US government officials and business people could be expected soon. (hina) vm 121215 MET apr 96