MESIC MEETS BULGARIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION

ZAGREB, Dec 10 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on Tuesday met a Bulgarian parliamentary delegation, headed by president Ognyen Gerdzikov. #L# The two officials stated during the talks that there were no open issues between the two countries and that their bilateral and multilateral cooperation was good. However, it is necessary to step up bilateral trade considering vast, but unexploited economic potentials, the President's Office said in a statement. Mesic congratulated the Bulgarian delegation on the admission of their country to NATO, stating that NATO membership was the first step towards the European Union, which was a goal the two countries shared. The two sides also discussed the need and opportunities for improving traffic links between Croatia and Bulgaria and stressed the need for re-establishing air service between Zagreb and Sofia and increasing navigation on the Danube. Croatia is interested in cleaning the Danube bed and re- establishing navigation on the river, because that will mean economic revival for Vukovar, which had been affected the most by the war in Croatia, Mesic is quoted as saying. (hina) rml sb