CROATIAN LIBERALS ON A TEN-DAY VISIT TO U.S. AND CANADA

NEW YORK, Feb 5 (Hina) - Parliamentary deputies of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), Zlatko Kramaric, Vilim Herman and Mirko Tankosic, are currently on a ten-day visit to the United States and Canada. At the invitation of US President Bill Clinton, the HSLS leaders attended a national prayer breakfast in Washington on Thursday, which brought together nearly 4,000 participants from 170 countries. Before the meeting, Kramaric and Herman were among 30 guests invited to a reception given by President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. During their stay in Washington, the Croatian Liberals met several US congressmen and senators to discuss the situation in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. They also met former US Secretary of State James Baker. Herman and Kramaric met Croatian lobbyists in Washington as well as leaders of the world's largest civil Jewish organization, Bnai'Brit, for talks on the situation in Croatia and the Jewish community there. They discussed with Bnai'Brit assistant director George Specter the possibility of opening a cultural centre in the eastern Croatian city of Osijek. The Croatian Liberals also held talks with representatives of the US Foundation for Development of Democracy and made arrangements for its financing non-governmental agencies in Croatia through programs supporting independent media. During their visit to the Bosnian Embassy in Washington, they discussed cooperation of Osijek with Sarajevo and Mostar. Next week the Liberals are expected to visit Chicago, Toronto and Hamilton where they are to meet representatives of the Croatian diaspora. (hina) vm 051052 MET feb 95