ZAGREB, BUCHAREST FOR PROJECT OF CONSTANTA-OMISALJ OIL-PIPELINE

ZAGREB, Jan 29 (Hina) - Croatia and Romania support the implementation of a project of an oil-pipeline from Constanta to Omisalj, which is important for both countries and the region, and in the project Croatia will make maximum efforts so that the Adriatic sea is protected, Croatian Premier Ivica Racan and his guest, Romania's Premier Adrian Nastase, said at a news conference in Zagreb on Wednesday. #L# The Romanian premier said his country wanted the oil-pipeline to be put into operation very soon. He pointed to the importance of the terminal in the Croatian port of Omisalj which can accept 500,000- ton tankers. Racan added that the project required the enhancement of the protection of the Adriatic, which he said would be possible if all other countries with access to the sea - Italy, Slovenia, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania - reached agreement on the matter. "The project does not compete with the Druzba Adria project but they are complementary," the Croatian premier said. The Romanian official added that the United States was considerably contributing to the Constanta-Omisalj project. Racan and Nastase described the bilateral relations as friendly and full of understanding. The two countries support each other in their bids to join Euro- Atlantic integration processes and would like to promote economic cooperation in the fields of the pharmaceutical industry, shipbuilding, power and metal industries and tourism. Nastase handed over to his host a document about proposals for the improvement of the economic cooperation. He told reporters that they had discussed "some sensitive issues" regarding international relations, but declined to specify them. Later in the day, the Romanian guest will meet Croatian President Stjepan Mesic and parliament's head Zlatko Tomcic. (hina) ms