U.S. COMPANIES INTERESTED IN INVESTMENT IN CROATIA - AMBASSADOR

ZAGREB, June 5 (Hina) - US Ambassador to Croatia Peter Galbraith said on Wednesday that Croatia had become very interesting to US investors after changes that had occurred following the liberation of most of its occupied areas and the signing of the Dayton peace agreement. The best proof of US interest would be the arrival of US Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor and US businessmen in Croatia in July, Galbraith said at a meeting of Croatian business people and the US Business Council for Croatia (USBCC) that opened in the Croatian Chamber of Commerce in Zagreb. Galbraith brought attention to frequent complaints heard at the US Embassy over bureaucratic obstacles faced by potential investors in Croatia. However, despite all shortcomings, Croatia had great business prospects, he added. USBCC President Gary Wolf said that the USBCC was not a political or humanitarian organization but an association of US business people and companies interested only in investment and profit. Until the end of 1994, the United States occupied the fifth position among foreign investors in Croatia, with a total volume of investment of DM 66 million realized through 210 companies. The most significant investment of US capital so far has been the investment by the Coca-Cola Export Corporation of DM 17.6 million in the Croatian company Coca-Cola Bottlers Zagreb. (hina) vm jn 051333 MET jun 96