U.S. Public-Private Donations Help Demine Area in Croatia

13 February 2003 
(Combined total of $50,000 from State Department, U.S. Tennis Association)

The State Department will match a $25,000 grant from the U.S. Tennis
Association to help rid Croatia of landmines, and the combined $50,000
will be used to demine a 48,000-square meter area in the village of Mekusje.

The U.S. Tennis Association's donation will be routed through the
International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance
based in Slovenia, which supports humanitarian mine action in the
Balkans and the Caucasus.

Following is a State Department announcement:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
February 13, 2003

Media Note

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE DOUBLES U.S. TENNIS ASSOCIATION'S GRANT TO CLEAR CROATIA'S LANDMINES

The U.S. Department of State's Office of Humanitarian Demining
Programs will match a $25,000 grant from the U.S. Tennis Association
to help rid Croatia of landmines. The combined $50,000 will be used to
demine a 48,000 square meter area adjoining a once popular tennis
court in the village of Mekusje, about 30 miles west of Zagreb.

The U.S. Tennis Association's grant was inspired by a February 5, 2003
visit to a mine clearance operation in Croatia by a delegation led by
Warren Kimball and Allen Kiel, Chairmen of the U.S. Tennis
Association's Davis Cup Committee. The visit, encouraged by U.S. Davis
Cup coach Jim Courier and organized by the U.S. Embassy and Croatian
authorities, occurred during a trip by U.S. Tennis Association
officials who were accompanying the U.S. Davis Cup Team for the United
States vs. Croatia Davis Cup first round. Team players planned to
participate in the minefield visit but a snowstorm and conflicting
practice schedule prevented them from doing so.

The U.S. Tennis Association's donation will be routed through the
International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance
based in Slovenia. This fund, which is backed by the U.S. Department
of State and other donor nations, supports humanitarian mine action in
the Balkans and the Caucasus. Grants from other governments, private
citizens and non-governmental organizations that are made via the
International Trust Fund are eligible for matching grants from the
United States.

"We deeply appreciate this valuable contribution and the fact that the
U.S. Tennis Association has prudently chosen to leverage it through
the International Trust Fund, thereby doubling its impact," said
Donald "Pat" Patierno, Director of the Office of Humanitarian Demining
Programs in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.

"This is another win for the public-private partnership concept with
everyone working together as a team to help rid Croatia of the last
deadly vestiges of conflict," said James Lawrence, Director of the
Bureau of Political-Military Affairs' Office of Mine Action
Initiatives and Partnerships. "I hope that this heartfelt gift will
inspire the worldwide tennis community to further support mine
action."

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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