Daithí
10-20-2007, 01:26 PM
Croatian president in tribute to RUC
of the Republic of Croatia Stjepan Mesic has spoken of the "whole air of optimism" he found at the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Mr Mesic spoke to the chairman of the RUC George Cross Foundation Jim McDonald on a visit to the RUC George Cross Memorial Garden at PSNI headquarters during the second day of his two-day visit to the Province.
Mr McDonald said that the 73-year-old president had spoken with enthusiasm about his meeting with Northern Ireland's First and Deputy First Ministers.
"Mr Mesic told me he was impressed with the whole air of optimism here," he said.
Mr McDonald added that the Croatian president had said he was aware of the difficulty of getting a first party to make a move in any peace movement.
"The other thing he said was that he had never seen a memorial anything like ours to police officers," Mr McDonald said.
"He thought that the police who give a direct service to the communities deserve such a tribute."
The president laid a wreath in the Croatian colours and also exchanged plaques with the RUC George Cross Federation.
Mr Mesic was leading a group of Croatians keen to present their case to the Northern Ireland business community in the hope of forging stronger economic links and attracting investment and trade packages with the Province.
http://www.sneakcentral.com/index.php?q=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5uZXdzbGV0dGVyLmNvLnVrL2 5ld3MvQ3JvYXRpYW4tcHJlc2lkZW50LWluLXRyaWJ1dGUtdG8u MzM5NTI5MS5qcA%3D%3D
of the Republic of Croatia Stjepan Mesic has spoken of the "whole air of optimism" he found at the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Mr Mesic spoke to the chairman of the RUC George Cross Foundation Jim McDonald on a visit to the RUC George Cross Memorial Garden at PSNI headquarters during the second day of his two-day visit to the Province.
Mr McDonald said that the 73-year-old president had spoken with enthusiasm about his meeting with Northern Ireland's First and Deputy First Ministers.
"Mr Mesic told me he was impressed with the whole air of optimism here," he said.
Mr McDonald added that the Croatian president had said he was aware of the difficulty of getting a first party to make a move in any peace movement.
"The other thing he said was that he had never seen a memorial anything like ours to police officers," Mr McDonald said.
"He thought that the police who give a direct service to the communities deserve such a tribute."
The president laid a wreath in the Croatian colours and also exchanged plaques with the RUC George Cross Federation.
Mr Mesic was leading a group of Croatians keen to present their case to the Northern Ireland business community in the hope of forging stronger economic links and attracting investment and trade packages with the Province.
http://www.sneakcentral.com/index.php?q=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5uZXdzbGV0dGVyLmNvLnVrL2 5ld3MvQ3JvYXRpYW4tcHJlc2lkZW50LWluLXRyaWJ1dGUtdG8u MzM5NTI5MS5qcA%3D%3D