MESIC ARRIVES IN BUCHAREST AT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SUMMIT

BUCHAREST, April 29 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic on Sunday arrived in Romania's capital to participate in a summit on environmental protection and sustainable development in the Danube-Carpathian region. Immediately upon his arrival, the Croatian President met his Romanian counterpart Ion Iliescu to discuss political and economic relations between the two countries, as well as the overall situation in the region. "Political relations between Croatia and Romania are at the highest level, however, there is room for the development economic cooperation," Mesic said after the talks, adding they also discussed concrete possibilities of cooperation. The Croatian President is expected to hold several bilateral meetings, including talks with the Bulgarian President Petar Stojanov, Moldavian President Vladimir Voronin, Ukrainian president Leonid Kucma and special coordinator for the Stability Pact in Southeastern Europe Bodo Hombach. The Summit is attended by presidents, environmental protection ministers and high representatives of 14 countries of the Danube- Carpathian region. (hina) it