Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, August 6, 1995                   TAG: 9508070118
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: A-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: ZAGREB, CROATIA                                LENGTH: Medium

CROAT: BATTLE PLANS COULD SAY 'MADE IN U.S.A.'

The United States gave Croatia advice on how to conduct its massive assault on rebel Serbs and gave tacit approval for the operation, Croatia's foreign minister indicated Saturday.

The offensive, which captured the rebels' self-proclaimed capital, grew out of Croatia's thrust into western Bosnia, purportedly to protect the U.N. ``safe area'' of Bihac.

The United States signed a military cooperation agreement with Croatia in November, and a company staffed by recently retired U.S. military officers has been advising Croatia on military organization.

``The Americans understood our operation in Bosnia and our concerns for Bihac,'' Foreign Minister Mate Granic said.

Granic didn't give details of the U.S. contribution, but Ambassador Peter Galbraith attended the July 22 meeting where Croatian and Bosnian leaders agreed to military cooperation around Bihac.

``Naturally, they gave some very strong suggestions regarding the [Serb] civilians, U.N. peacekeepers in Croatia and ... regarding the quantity [size] of the operation.''

``They did not give a green light, but they understood our concerns to help Bihac,'' Granic said.

The thousands of Croatian troops who poured into western Bosnia focused their attack far south of Bihac, making stunning gains against the rebel Serbs and winning positions that let them shell the Serb stronghold of Knin.

Tacit U.S. approval for the strike was clear in Washington's reaction to the Croatian offensive.

While most European countries condemned the assault, President Clinton said it could help pressure the Bosnian Serbs to seek a peaceful settlement, ABC News reported.

The American influence on Croatia has grown steadily. An American company, Military Professional Resources Inc., last winter signed a long-term contract with Croatia to help ``democratize'' its armed forces and reorganize its officer corps.

MPRI is made up of recently retired, high-ranking U.S. military officials, including the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

The company, with contracts throughout the world, claims it is ``capitalizing on the experience and skills of America's best combat-seasoned professionals.''

Retired Lt. Gen. Ed Soyster, the former DIA chief, insists the company offers no combat advice to the Croats and is working only to reform the army's former communist structure.

The first group of Croatian army officers graduated from the MPRI program on July 15, and Croatian commanders praised the ``American influence'' on the troops.

Granic was confident the Croatian offensive would succeed within a week in recapturing a large swath of rebel-held territory it hopes will let the country redevelop its tourism industry and restore communications between the capital of Zagreb and the coast.