ZAGREB, Feb 9 (Reuters) - The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is donating $25,000 to a Croatian government project to remove the one million land mines remaining from the war which ravaged the region in the early 1990s, officials announced on Sunday.
The USTA, whose donation will be matched by the U.S. government, made the decision after a visit to a minefield clearing operation near the village of Gajine on Wednesday.
"This is our way of showing support to the people of Croatia, who have been such incredible hosts to our Davis Cup team and the USTA contingent this week," USTA president Alan Schwartz said.
The donation will help clear land mines in a 48,000 square metre area surrounding a once-popular tennis court in the village of Mekusje, about 30 miles west of Zagreb, venue for this weekend's Davis Cup first-round tie between the two countries.
02/09/03 07:38 ET Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited.
Dear USTA,
As an Croatian American, I am deeply moved by your generous donation while visiting Croatia. Let that be the sign of long lasting friendship between two peoples.
p.s. As a Trivia, I bet you didn't know that the Croatian Republic of Dubrovnik was the first country in the world to recognizeThe United State of America.
