ZAGREB, June 11 (Hina) - Croatia and Yugoslavia are very interested in concluding the agreement on free trade which is being prepared. The agreement should be an important incentive to developing relations between the two countries,
it was said at a meeting between Croatian Economy Minister Hrvoje Vojkovic and Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus in Zagreb on Tuesday.
ZAGREB, June 11 (Hina) - Croatia and Yugoslavia are very interested
in concluding the agreement on free trade which is being prepared.
The agreement should be an important incentive to developing
relations between the two countries, it was said at a meeting
between Croatian Economy Minister Hrvoje Vojkovic and Yugoslav
Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus in Zagreb on Tuesday. #L#
Vojkovic and Labus met on the margins of a WTO ministerial
conference of Central and South-East European countries.
Vojkovic told reporters after the talks that economic relations
between the two countries were developing and that trade in 2001 had
increased by 30 percent in relation to 2000.
Today's talks also focused on property-rights relations, the
privatisation of the Yugoslav oil company Beopetrol, and oil import
and transit, he said.
Croatia has offered Yugoslavia expert assistance in the process of
rapprochement with the WTO, Vojkovic said.
Labus said that the free trade agreement would not only contribute
to advancing bilateral relations but also to stabilising the
region.
The Yugoslav official believes all the key issues from the
agreement have been agreed on, while technical details will be
agreed on at meetings in Belgrade in Zagreb.
He said that Yugoslavia was preparing to ratify an agreement on
succession to the former federation which guaranteed acquired
rights, including those referring to commercial entities.
The Serbian government has approved oil transport via rivers. Oil
will be transported by road under police escort due to the problem
of oil smuggling, he said.
Asked to comment on the Croatian oil company INA's claiming back its
petrol stations in Yugoslavia, now owned by Beopetrol, Labus said
that there had not been any serious discussions about the matter,
however, the two sides had agreed in principle that ownership
rights, including INA's, should be guaranteed.
Vojkovic added that the petrol stations were INA's property and
that this fact should be kept in mind in the forthcoming
privatisation of Beopetrol.
(hina) sp rml