ZAGREB, Sept 11 (Hina) - Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic will on Thursday travel to Bucharest on a three-day official visit to Romania.
ZAGREB, Sept 11 (Hina) - Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic will on
Thursday travel to Bucharest on a three-day official visit to
Romania. #L#
During his first official visit to this country, Croatia's head of
state will be received by his host, Romanian President Ion Iliescu,
and hold talks with other senior officials in Bucharest.
On Saturday Mesic will tour the 7,500-strong ethnic Croatian
community in seven villages (Karasevo, Klokotic, Jabalce, Lupak,
Nermit, Ravnik, Vodnik) in western Romania.
According to some scientists, the Romanian Croats are believed to
be the third oldest Croatian group in Diaspora after the ethnic
communities in Kosovo (Janjevo) and Molise (Italy). First Croats in
Romania settled there most probably in 15th century fleeing Bosnian
areas, attacked by Ottoman invaders.
During his visit in Romania, Croatia's President will be
accompanied by the ministers of economy, transport and European
integration, Ljubo Jurcic, Roland Zuvanic and Neven Mimica
respectively.
The bilateral trade comes to 27 million dollars, and Croatia's
export to Romania accounts for only one fifth of that amount.
The talks which President Mesic, other Croatian officials and
businessmen will hold with their Romanian hosts, will mostly
revolved around the economic topics.
This week Croatia will not be admitted into the CEFTA (Central
European Free trade Agreement) at its summit in Bratislava, due to
unfinished negotiations on a free trade agreement with Bucharest.
The remaining part which should be agreed on is the liberalisation
of the trade in agricultural produce.
(hina) ms