20000220

Albright lauds

US embassy staff

for Croatian polls result

ZAGREB: The US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright praised US embassy staff here Friday, saying their efforts to strengthen the Croatian opposition had helped bring about electoral victory for reformers.

"This is a very hard working embassy and what has been happening in Croatia is in very large part due to the tremendous work that comes from all of you," Albright said, presenting the diplomats with a State Department award for excellence.

"I know that you all had a very important part in the progress that has been made and your performance is really a superb example of how an activist and committed embassy can work in the American interest," said Albright who attended the inauguration here of President Stipe Mesic.

She made only passing reference to the firestorm of controversy that engulfed the embassy last year in the run-up to the campaign for the polls when Washington accused the government of president Franjo Tudjman of harassing US diplomats.

US officials believe Tudjman's supporters were responsible for a series of incidents, including embassy break-ins last fall ahead of the January 3 parliamentary elections in which opposition forces won victory.

The incidents were seen as an attempt by Zagreb to intimidate US personnel working to shore up Croatian political parties including opposition groups.ÑAFP