Zagreb, August 31, 1998 (IKA) – Yesterday, August 30, Archbishop Josip
Bozanić, president of the Croatian Conference of Catholic Bishops,
received the American Secretary of State Madeleine Albright at the
archbishop#!s residence in Zagreb. The Public Relations Office of the
Archbishop of Zagreb issued a statement that Archbishop Bozanić and the
American secretary of state spoke about the current situation in the
Republic of Croatia and the region, and the role of religion in the world
about to enter the third millennium. Also attending the meeting were U.S.
Ambassador William Montgomery, U.S. State Department Special Envoy Robert
Gelbard, U.S. State Department Adviser James O#!Brien, the general vicar
and prelate of the Zagreb Archdiocese, Vladimir Stankovic; the chancellor
of the Archdiocesan See, Stjepan Večković; and the Rev. Juraj Jerneić.
After meeting with Archbishop Bozanić, the American secretary of
state met with the Croatian minister of foreign affairs, Mate Granić, and
was received by the president of the Republic of Croatia, Dr. Franjo
Tudjman, at the Presidential Palace. At this meeting, disagreement
between Croatia and the U.S. were expressed regarding the relationship
between Croatia and the Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the status of
the process of democratization in Croatia. The U.S. wants independence
for the Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina from Zagreb, while Croatia wants to
maintain mutual ties and provide support to them, in a manner it considers
to be consistent with the Dayton and Washington agreements.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright began her visit to the Republic
of Croatia by meeting early in the morning with representatives of the
Croatian Appeal Center, who seek U.S. assistance in resolving the fate of
the imprisoned and missing citizens of Croatia, and in restoring their
destroyed homes. The American secretary of state also met with the
leaders of opposition political parties and representatives of independent
media. There was discussion about the current situation on the Croatian
political scene, the new election law being drafted by the opposition, and
the freedom and democratization of the media.