CROATIAN, TURKISH PARLIAMENT SPEAKERS MEET IN ANKARA

ANKARA, Feb 5 (Hina) - Economic cooperation and cooperation in the security issues is the foundation on which Croatia and Turkey should develop bilateral relations, Croatian parliament speaker Zlatko Tomcic and his Turkish counterpart Omer Izgi said in Ankara on Tuesday. "We agree that good political and bilateral cooperation needs to be promoted in an intensive economic cooperation," Tomcic said after the talks with the Turkish counterpart held within a three day visit of the Croatian parliamentary delegation to Turkey. Tomcic and Izgi agreed that Croatia would contribute to and Turkey would accelerate the process of joining European associations which will help the strengthening of the security and stability in the Southeast Europe. The Turkish parliament speaker expressed support to Croatia's joining NATO, which will contribute to the stability in the region. After the talks with Izgi, the Croatian parliamentary delegation met the co-chairman of the joint Turkish-Croatian economy committee, Fikret Unlu, and the chairman of the foreign affairs committee, Kamaran Inan. The Croatian parliament speaker once again offered condolences to the families of the victims of an earthquake which shook Turkey on Sunday. After the talks in the Turkish parliament, the Croatian parliamentary delegation visited the Croatian Embassy in Ankara. The Croatian delegation will be received by Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Bulent Ecvit on Wednesday. Apart from Tomcic, the Croatian parliament delegation also includes the chairman of the parliament's foreign affairs committee, Zdravko Tomac, the chairwoman of the internal affair and national security committee, Djurdja Adlesic, the chairwoman of the committee for the inter-parliamentary cooperation, Zdravka Busic and a member of the economy, reconstruction and development committee, Tonci Tadic. (hina) it