YU FOREIGN MINISTRY CONFIRMS SVILANOVIC'S VISIT TO ZAGREB FRIDAY

ZAGREB/BEOGRAD, Dec 12 (Hina) - Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic will arrive in Zagreb for an official visit on Friday, the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. Even though his visit to Zagreb will last only a few hours, Svilanovic will meet his host and counterpart Tonino Picula and Croatian top officials. "After several meetings held within various multilateral and regional meetings, this is the first bilateral meeting between the two ministers after democratic changes in Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia," read a statement issued by the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry. The Zagreb meeting aims at additionally encouraging the development of the two countries' good-neighbourly relations, which have been intensified lately, the statement read. The statement also says that Picula and Svilanovic will sign an agreement on avoiding double taxation and a protocol on cooperation between the two ministries. The two ministers should also announce the pace of signing several bilateral agreements, which are being negotiated. Even though it was speculated that Svilanovic could visit the eastern Croatian town of Vukovar, unofficial sources said the Yugoslav Foreign Minister decided not to. (hina) it sb