COMMEMORATION OF U.S., CROAT PLANE CRASH VICTIMS HELD ON SV. IVAN HILL

HILL DUBROVNIK, June 22 - Families of 35 U.S. and Croatian citizens who died in a plane crash near Dubrovnik last year, on Sunday visited Sveti Ivan Hill, the site of the incident, to commemorate the U.S. Commerce Secretary Ronald Brown and other passengers aboard killed in the tragic event. On that site, a commemorative ceremony was held and ecumenical prayer was said by a Catholic priest, a Baptist priest and a rabbi. A monument on which names of the 35 dead persons are written, was consecrated on Sunday as well. The monument, the author of which is a Croatian architect, Zeljko Franetovic, was raised by the Croatian Government. The commemoration was attended by families of the killed U.S. citizens and the families of the two killed Croatian citizens - Dragica Lendic-Bebek and Niksa Antonini - as well as Croatian Economy Minister Nenad Porges, Tourism Minister Niko Bulic, Croatian Ambassador to the United States, Miomir Zuzul, U.S. Assistant Commerce Secretary, Marjaroy Searling, U.S. Ambassador to Croatia, Peter Galbraith, and local authorities. Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Galbraith said that the U.S. mission was, first of all, a mission of peace that offered something different and better to people who had experienced the war. Today we were participating in consecration of the monument in memory of all participants of that mission who were still living in our hearts, and we were continuing with their mission and implementing peace based on justice and equality for everybody, the U.S. Ambassador added. On behalf of the Croatian Government and Premier Zlatko Matesa, Economy Minister Porges addressed the ceremony. "We pay the respects to those who realised that the difference between people is not an obstacle, and I am confident that their idea will continue to live after these people who died in the mission of peace," Porges said and added that he believed that members of the U.S. mission had incorporated their lives in promotion of better ties between Croatia and the United States. On behalf of the U.S. Commerce Department, Ms. Searing thanked for everything that has been done since last year's U.S. plane crash. (hina) mš 221600 MET jun 97