USG-AMWAY CORPORATION JOIN TO CLEAR MINEFIELD NEAR

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000996

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR OFFICES OF HUMANITARIAN DEMINING AND PARTNERSHIP
PROGRAMS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: BK HR PREF
SUBJECT: USG-AMWAY CORPORATION JOIN TO CLEAR MINEFIELD NEAR
SPLIT



1. TO HIGHLIGHT A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE USG AND AMWAY
CORPORATION IN CROATIA TO CLEAR A MINEFIELD NEAR A PRIMARY
SCHOOL IN THE TOWN OF ZRNOVNICA NEAR SPLIT, THE AMBASSADOR
ATTENDED A CEREMONY AT THE SCHOOL ON MAY 5. SENIOR AMWAY
REPRESENTATIVES, THE MAYOR OF SPLIT, AND CROATIAN MINE ACTION
CENTER (CROMAC) AND INTERNATIONAL TRUST FUND (ITF) OFFICIALS
WERE IN ATTENDANCE AT THE EVENT, WHICH RECEIVED WIDESPREAD
MEDIA PUBLICITY. AMWAY CORPORATION IN CROATIA INITIALLY
RAISED USD 15,000 FROM ITS DISTRIBUTORS IN CROATIA AND ASKED
IF THE USG WOULD MATCH THAT AMOUNT THROUGH ITS MATCHING FUNDS
PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE ITF IN SLOVENIA, AND ALSO ASSIST
WITH FINDING A PROSPECTIVE DEMINING PROJECT.


2. AFTER DISCOVERING THAT THE SELECTED PROJECT WOULD COST
MORE THAN PREVIOUSLY EXPECTED BECAUSE OF AN INCREASE IN ITS
OVERALL SIZE, THE AMBASSADOR, WITH THE SUPPORT OF PM,S
OFFICE OF HUMANITARIAN DEMINING, AGREED TO COVER THE
DIFFERENCE. THE AMBASSADOR AND AMWAY OFFICIALS PRESENTED A
CHECK TO GOC DEMINING OFFICIALS IN THE AMOUNT OF USD 120,000
TO COVER THE COST OF THE PROJECT. DEMINING OPERATIONS WILL
BEGIN WHEN THE SCHOOL YEAR ENDS NEXT MONTH AND WILL BE
COMPLETED BY AUGUST.


3. THE AMBASSADOR, AMWAY OFFICIALS, AND THE MAYOR WERE
WELCOMED TO THE SCHOOL BY THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE FROM ITS 400
STUDENTS AS A SHOW OF THEIR APPRECIATION FOR THEIR
WILLINGNESS TO FINANCE CLEARING A MINEFIELD LITERALLY TEN
YARDS FROM THEIR SCHOOL. THE CHILDREN PERFORMED SONGS AND
DANCES AND EXPRESSED THEIR APPRECIATION TO THE USG AND AMWAY
CORPORATION. DURING HIS SPEECH, THE AMBASSADOR COMMENTED
THAT THE OBJECTIVE OF THE JOINT PROJECT WITH AMWAY IS TO
CONTINUE TO PROMOTE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS IN THE FIELD
OF DEMINING. HE URGED OTHER COMPANIES IN CROATIA TO FOLLOW
AMWAY,S LEAD BY DONATING OR RAISING FUNDS. THE AMBASSADOR
ALSO PRESENTED OVER 200 ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CHILDREN,S BOOKS
THAT HAD BEEN REQUESTED BY THE PRINCIPAL FOR THE SCHOOL,S
LIBRARY. THE DONATION OF THE BOOKS, AND EVENTUALLY A
COMPUTER, WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY PM,S OFFICE OF HUMANITARIAN
DEMINING.


4. THE AMBASSADOR THANKED ALL OF THOSE WHO HAD MADE THE EVENT
POSSIBLE, NOTING THAT THE DEMINED AREA WILL BENEFIT THE
ENTIRE COMMUNITY BY REMOVING CONCERNS OVER THE SAFETY OF THE
CHILDREN ATTENDING THE SCHOOL. DESPITE THE USG,S
SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION, THE AMBASSADOR MADE IT
CLEAR DURING PRESS INTERVIEWS THAT THIS WAS AMWAY,S EVENT
AND ITS OPPORTUNITY TO &BASK IN THE SUN8 FOR ITS EFFORTS.
AMWAY IN TURN INFORMED US IT IS ALREADY BUDGETING FOR FURTHER
MINE ACTION NEXT YEAR.

ROSSIN

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