CROATIAN AMBASSADOR TO US MEETS ROBERT GELBARD

( Editorial: --> 5314 ) WASHINGTON, Feb 28 (Hina) - Croatian Ambassador to the United States, Miomir Zuzul, on Friday held talks with the special envoy of US President Bill Clinton, Robert Gelbard. The talks focused on the current relations between the two countries and on the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Zuzul expressed the dissatisfaction of the Croatian government with certain statements made by the US side about speeches made at the fourth convention of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party in Zagreb. Zuzul and Gelbard stressed that the agreement reached by Croatian Defence Minister Gojko Susak and Deputy US State Secretary Strobe Talbot in Washington this January should continue to be implemented. The two ambassadors stressed how important the United States deemed the implementation of the Dayton Agreement and the role Croatia should have in the process. Gelbard especially expressed dissatisfaction with the inactive role of a part of the Croat leadership in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the implementation of the Dayton Agreement. Both sides expressed readiness to continue developing positive relations which should consolidate with the consistent implementation of reached agreements and organisation of this year's visits at a high state level. (hina) lm 281830 MET feb 98