CROATIA & USA - 1996 AND BEYOND Embassy of Croatia Activities and Accomplishments in 1996 The crowning achievement of the Croatian Embassy in Washington during 1996 was the successful coordination of President Tudjman's August 2nd visit, the first official working visit of President Tudjman to the United States. In November of the same year, President Tudjman paid another visit to the Embassy, launching the first English translation of his book Horrors of War at a book-promotion ceremony. This year also marked the successful visits of Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mate Granic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development and Reconstruction Jure Radic, Deputy Prime Minister for Commerce and Finance Borislav Skegro, Minister of Economy Davor Stern, Minister of Finance Bozo Prka, and Minister of Defense Gojko Susak. Embassy personnel joined visiting Croatian economic officials for important meetings at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund during the year. In April, Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa, Minister of Economy Davor Stern and Embassy officials met with World Bank President James Wolfensohn. Twice in 1996 Deputy Prime Minister Borislav Skegro, Governor of the National Bank of Croatia Marko Skreb and Minister of Finance Bozo Prka attended conferences at World Bank and IMF, meeting with IMF President Michael Camdessus, World Bank Vice President Johannes Linn, and other officials for discussions on various ongoing projects.  Croatian Ambassador to the United States Dr. Miomir Zuzul and senior embassy diplomats, after touring the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on November 13, 1996, met with Miles Lerman, Chairman of the Museum's governing board, Museum Director Dr. Walter Reich and senior Museum staff. In a joint press statement, Ambassador Zuzul expressed a desire to develop future cooperative projects between Croatia and the USHMM, including the copying of World War II-era archives in Zagreb and other cities and the exchange of scholars.  As part of the Embassy's outreach program, Croatian diplomats seized many opportunities during 1996 to speak at forums on foreign affairs and public policy. Ambassador Zuzul addressed the issue of the future of peacekeeping both at the International Peacekeeping ‘96 Seminar: "Peacekeeping by Proxy: Conflict Resolution in the 21st Century" hosted by the United Nations Association, International Peace Academy and the Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies, and at the UN Global Community Day at Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He was also featured as a guest speaker at the Dayton peace talks anniversary celebration hosted by the University of Dayton. Embassy officials also participated in international business conferences and universities, such as: the Eastern Europe Conference hosted by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; World Trade Center Embassy Day in Baltimore; the Executive Lecture Forum, Texas Christian University M. J. Neeley School of International Business; and the College of Business and Public Administration at the University of North Dakota.  A highlight of the Embassy's cultural activities during the year was a reception following a performance of "Il Guarany", attended by the opera's star and Washington Opera Artistic Director Placido Domingo. The reception, hosted by Ambassador Zuzul and Mrs. Tatjana Zuzul in honor of Domingo, Croatian opera singer Boris Martinovic, and the rest of the "Il Guarany" cast, featured a lavish spread of Croatian cuisine and wine. "The arrival of the world-renowned opera singer, Mr. Placido Domingo, is a great honor for the embassy, and we hope that we will be able to greet you in Croatia next summer," Ambassador Zuzul told Embassy's guests. The event was reported in the major media, including the Washington Post and the International Herald Tribune.  The Embassy participated in various Washington programs for the general public throughout the year, opening its doors to students, tourists and other groups. For the third consecutive year, the Embassy participated in the Close-Up Foundation's Washington seminar program, presenting lectures on Croatia to groups of students and retired foreign service oÅcers. The Embassy building itself was once again featured as "one of the most wonderful private homes and Embassies of Washington" on tours sponsored by Goodwill Industries and Woodrow Wilson House. Between the two tours, almost six thousand guests passed through the Embassy, as staff offered information and answered questions on the building, as well as on Croatian society, culture and politics. In total, more than 10,000 people visited the Embassy during 1996.  The Embassy hosted lectures, seminars and informative programs, both by Embassy officials and visiting scholars. Throughout the year we held informal briefings and receptions for many leading foreign affairs organizations in the Washington area, such as the International Policy Institute, Women in International Trade, and the Harvard Club of Washington. The most successful lecture of this year was the November presentation by two distinguished visiting scholars: Professor Radoslav Katicic of the University of Vienna, who addressed the issue of "Recent Developments in Croatian Language Pragmatics," and Professor Dalibor Brozovic of the University of Zagreb, who discussed the "Grammatical Characteristics of the Croatian Language."    The Croatian Embassy in Washington actively participated in efforts to ensure the success of "Croatia House", a hospitality house sponsored by the Croatian Government during the Atlanta Olympic Games in July. Croatian diplomats and officials assisted in many fields, from providing consular services to public affairs and promotional "know-how." "Croatia House" provided Croatian athletes with a 'home-away-from-home' atmosphere while providing guests an opportunity to experience a slice of Croatian society, culture and sportsmanship by sampling Croatian cuisine, music, culture and art and the spirit of Croatian competitiveness. Kresimir Cosic, Croatian basketball star and diplomat, was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on May 6. The Embassy held a special event honoring the life and career of Cosic, who during his illustrious athletic career won one Gold and three Silver medals at the 1964, 1976, 1980 and 1988 Olympic Games, as well as playing on three National All-Star teams during his years at Brigham Young University.  Cosic later joined the Croatian diplomatic service, and served as one of Croatia's first diplomats in the United States, bringing his enthusiasm, drive and exuberant personal charm to representing his beloved Croatia in the U.S. capital. Through his charming personality and spirit he greatly contributed to the development of open and friendly relations between Croatia and America, for which we shall remain eternally indebted to him. He passed away in May 1995 after a brave struggle with cancer.    The tragic end to the mission led by Ron Brown deeply affected Embassy diplomats and staff, who tirelessly worked with the White House and the Department of Commerce to ensure the success of the first U.S. Presidential trade and business mission to Croatia. In April, Croatian Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa, presented the High Order of King Dmitar Zvonimir, awarded posthumously to Ron Brown by President Tudjman, to Brown's son Michael. The decoration, the High Order of King Dmitar Zvonimir, is bestowed upon high Croatian and foreign officials for great contributions to the independence and sovereignty of Croatia and in humanitarian affairs. In July, the Embassy hosted a ceremony at which Ambassador Zuzul presented official Croatian honors to the families of those who had accompanied Brown, and lost their lives in the pursuit of the mission to bring peace and stability to Croatia and neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina. They were posthumously honored with the Order of the Croatian Trefoil, an order conferred on Croatian citizens and foreigners for outstanding achievements contributing to the future of the Republic of Croatia. Ambassador Zuzul shared personal memories of Secretary Brown, the mission and its tragic fate at the ceremony, commenting that since independence Croatia has learned the meaning of losing loved ones and sharing the pain of their families. Croats "have learned the value of life and those who are ready to sacrifice their lives for a noble cause," and therefore we "deeply appreciate every life that has been sacrificed for the noblest of all noble goals, peace," the Ambassador concluded. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Croatia Dr. Miomir Zuzul presented his credentials to U.S. President William Jefferson Clinton on February 6, 1996. Ambassador Zuzul told President Clinton that he was honored to serve in a country which had contributed greatly to peace in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially in light of the fact that he had been personally involved in the Dayton proximity peace talks. Ambassador Zuzul stressed that Croatia looks forward to building upon the partnership already forged between the United States and Croatia, especially in the area of economic development, and hopes that the large Croatian diaspora in the U.S. will serve as a link between the two countries. President Clinton remarked that on his recent visit to Croatia, he was "overjoyed" by the warm reception he received, and called it a true reflection of the "strong relationship" that has developed between the U.S. and Croatia. President Clinton added that the U.S. looks forward "to working more closely with Croatia to build an even deeper, everlasting friendship between our peoples." "Croatia is a young state, but a nation with a deep and rich history. As Croatia takes its place among the community of Western states, we look forward to broadening our relationship in many different directions," President Clinton remarked.