ZAGREB, Jan 29(Hina) - There are no outstanding issues between Croatia and Chile, but there is a great need for promoting economic cooperation between the two countries, Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and Chilean President
Ricardo Lagos Escobar agreed at a meeting in Zagreb on Thursday.
ZAGREB, Jan 29(Hina) - There are no outstanding issues between Croatia
and Chile, but there is a great need for promoting economic
cooperation between the two countries, Croatian Prime Minister Ivo
Sanader and Chilean President Ricardo Lagos Escobar agreed at a
meeting in Zagreb on Thursday.#L#
Escobar, who also performs the duties of prime minister, is currently
on a three-day official visit to Croatia at the invitation of Croatian
President Stjepan Mesic.
Croatia and Chile have signed nine bilateral treaties, including basic
economic agreements. Trade between the two countries is modest,
totalling less than four million US dollars, the quarter of which
accounts for Croatian exports.
The two officials said that Croatian seaports, particularly the
norther Adriatic port of Rijeka, could play an import role in
promoting economic cooperation between the two countries.
Escobar also expressed interest in cooperation with other Croatian
ports.
Sanader said that his government would continue supporting all Chilean
investment in Croatia, including that by a Chilean businessman of
Croatian descent, Andronik Luksic.
The Chilean president said his country supported Croatia's efforts to
join the European Union.
"It is in our great interest for Croatia to become a full member of
the European Union in 2007," Escobar said. He added that Chile had
signed a trade agreement with the EU and that Croatia's admission into
the EU would be a great step forward for cooperation between Croatia
and Chile.
Sanader and Escobar also agreed to further promote cultural and
scientific cooperation between their countries.
(Hina) vm sb