OFFICIALS IN SERBIA-MONTENEGRO HAIL ZAGREB'S DECISION

BELGRADE/PODGORICA, June 4 (Hina) - The Croatian government's decision to suspend visa regime for citizens of Serbia-Montenegro for six months is a strong encouragement for bilateral relations and regional cooperation in general, as well as for business people, an assistant to the foreign minister of Serbia-Montenegro, Aleksandra Joksimovic, said on Wednesday. #L# It is constantly being worked on the settlement of open issues in relations with Croatia and political solutions to problems will continue to be sought in the future, Joksimovic was quoted by the Beta agency as saying, adding she expected that "in the coming period the opening of the borders will show all maximum positive effects and that no temporal restrictions will be set any more". According to her, at the moment "it is most important that citizens from both sides can freely travel". The head of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Radoslav Veselinovic, said on Wednesday that the temporary suspension of the visa regime would facilitate economic cooperation between Croatia and his country. This decision is the real path towards the thawing of relations among neighbours, and for citizens in Vojvodina it is of vital importance, said Nenad Canak, the speaker of the northern Serbian province's parliament, who recently held talks with Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on the need to remove the army of Serbia- Montenegro from the border at the Danube. The premier of Vojvodina, Djordje Djukic, said the Croatian government's decision created a condition for the restoration of trade and economic ties, after many local companies lost their partners in Croatia due to the worsened relations between Belgrade and Zagreb. Montenegro's Foreign Minister Dragisa Burzan on Wednesday also hailed Zagreb's decision to suspend visas, describing it as "a good move in line with the European orientation". (hina) ms sb