CROATIA'S PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION ON VISIT TO LITHUANIA

VILNIUS, Feb 26 (Hina) - Good parliamentary cooperation between Croatia and Lithuania can serve as the start for other forms of cooperation, said Sabor Speaker Zlatko Tomcic during his visit to Lithuania. On Monday, Tomcic, who led Croatia's parliamentary delegation, held talks with Arturas Paulauskas, the head of the Lithuanian parliament Seimas. Both countries see their prospects in European integration processes, Tomcic said. Assessing that Lithuania has been ahead of Croatia in those processes, Sabor Speaker said his country would like to use the experiences of this Baltic country. Tomcic suggested the promotion of the cooperation between the two parliaments' committees for EuroAtlantic integration, and invited Paulauskas to visit Zagreb. We are willing to share our experience so that Croatia may profit from it in the EuroAtlantic integration, Paulauskas added. He informed Croatian guests that Seimas should now do big job in the harmonisation of Lithuanian legislation with the European Union's standards, and expressed hope that his country would be admitted into the EU in 2004. Paulauskas commented on ways for the furtherance of the economic cooperation between Croatia and Lithuania. In his mind, an agreement on double tax avoidance will help promote it. Lithuania has already ratified the agreement and is now waiting for Croatia to do the same. On Monday, Craotia's delegation was received by Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus and Foreign Minister Antanas Valicnis. (hina) ms