PREFECT WELCOMES AGREEMENT BETWEEN CROATIAN, SLOVENE FISHERMEN

PULA, Sept 4 (Hina) - Istria County prefect Ivan Jakovcic has welcomed an agreement reached by Croatian and Slovene fishermen to abstain from fishing in the contentious part of northern Adriatic's Piran Bay until Saturday, when they should meet again. #L# The fishermen have thus shown they are resolute to contribute to a better climate between Croatia and Slovenia, whose relations "have recently deteriorated," Jakovcic told a session of the county authorities in Pula. Jakovcic said he had called on Istrian fishermen to continue negotiating with their Slovene colleagues. He stated politicians on the local and state levels would do their best to protect peace, tolerance, and good neighbourly relations with Slovenia. The prefect commended the Croatian police for its performance in a situation which he said could have got out of hand on several occasions. Jakovcic hoped the two countries' prime ministers, at their impending meeting, would reach a solution satisfactory to both Croatia and Slovenia. He maintained the tensions in Piran Bay could be defused by returning to the state of affairs prior to the initialling of a border deal. The two sides could then negotiate a solution to the border dispute without further straining relations, while international arbitration could be used for issues which cannot be agreed on, said the prefect. (hina) ha sb