FOREIGN MINISTER GRANIC OPENS CROATIAN EMBASSY IN PRETORIA

PRETORIA, Nov 17 (Hina) - Croatia's Foreign Minister Mate Granic, on Sunday opened a building of the Croatian Embassy in Pretoria, the Republic of South Africa. At the ceremony Minister Granic stressed that Croatian emigrants' help and togetherness of Croats in the homeland and in diaspora were crucial in creating the Croatian state. Minister Granic said he was sure that the Embassy in Pretoria would help the Croatian community to be more homogeneous and firmly linked with the homeland. He added that Croatian representatives would be present in Africa as much as possible for them. He said the newly-opened Croatian Embassy in Pretoria was important not only for promoting better political and economic relations with the Republic of South Africa but also for covering other countries in southern Africa. Croatian Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa, Tvrtko Mursalo, said that in the South African Republic the first Croatian club called "Stjepan Radic" was established in 1928 and the first Croatian Roman-Catholic mission in the late sixties. From June 1991 the Republic of Croatia had its office in Pretoria, which presently became the consulate. In 1996 the embassy was established. Before the ceremonial opening, Minister Granic delivered the Order of Croatian Trefoil to Ante Odak, the head of the Croatian immigrant community in Johannesburg. Odak was decorated with the Order by Croatia's President Franjo Tudjman in May this year. On Monday Minister Granic is continuing his official visit to the Republic of South Africa when he meets his South African counterpart Alfred B. Nzo. The two ministers are expected to sign agreements on double tax evasion and on cooperation in culture, education, science, technology and sports. (hina) mš 171600 MET nov 96