RACAN ON IMPORTANCE OF CEFTA FOR CROATIA

BUCHAREST, Nov 16 (Hina) - Membership in the CEFTA will enable Croatia to access the European circle of states and get away further from the Balkans, Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan, who is attending a summit of the Central European Free Trade Agreement in Bucharest, said on Thursday. "The CEFTA is very important for Croatia, because it allows us to be part of the European society and less part of the Balkans," Racan said before the start of the summit. He believes the conference will kick off the completion of remaining talks between Croatia and the CEFTA member-states and its fulfilment of conditions for CEFTA membership. The Central European Free Trade Agreement was founded in 1992 by Hungary, Poland and the then Czechoslovakia as an association facilitating preparations for the countries' integration in the European Union. They were later joined by Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania. Croatia has so far signed free trade agreements with Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic and is expected to sign them with Romania and Bulgaria by the end of the year. It will then have met all conditions for membership in the CEFTA since it is already a member of the World Trade Organisation and has signed an Association and Stabilisation Agreement with the EU. According to some estimates, Croatia could become a member of the free trade association in the spring of 2002 during Slovakia's presidency, which starts in February next year. (hina) rml