MICROSOFT'S REGIONAL OFFICE REMAINS IN ZAGREB

WASHINGTON, Aug 11 (Hina) - Serbia's Premier Zoran Djindjic and Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer have recently discussed possibilities about the set-up of the company's branch office in Belgrade, but this will not affect the position of the existing regional office of Microsoft in Zagreb. There is no definite agreement on when the Belgrade branch will be opened, but what is certain is that our regional centre remains in Croatia, a spokesman for Microsoft told Hina on the phone on Friday night. According to spokesman Ricardo Alarme, Microsoft is interested in intensifying its marketing and sales in Belgrade, and the company may expand its activities to the technical support, but this depends on the development of the market. Last Monday Djindjic and Ballmer held talks on the introduction of the information technology into Serbia's state administration, information technology in education and on the creation of a legal framework for the protection of copyright and investments in Serbia. After the end of the official part of then talks, the Serbian PM was received by Microsoft's owner Bill Gates. During their brief meeting Djindjic expressed wish that his country could become a leading regional power in the field of information technology. (hina) ms