CROATIAN AMERICANS SUPPORT GOVERNMENT'S OPERATION

WASHINGTON, May 3 (Hina) - Croatian-American lobby Tuesday supported the Croatian government's limited operation in western Slavonia and appealed to US Congress members to uphold Croatia's right to protect its citizens and territory. "Although Croatia committed itself to peaceful reintegration and continued to work within the diplomatic framework defined by the UN, it could not accept terrorism on its ground," the statement of the lobby said. The National Federation of Croatian Americans (NFCA) also supported "the Croatian decision to reopen the part of the E-70 highway which was closed by rebel Serbs on Saturday", a NFCA press release, issued yesterday in Washington, said. Pointing out that the rockets that hit Zagreb were fired from UN controlled areas, NFCA emphasized that the UN forces so far only served as a shield for Serb occupation. (Hina) mm bk 031332 MET may 95