CROATIAN AND HUNGARIAN RAILWAYS DIRECTORS MEET IN RIJEKA

RIJEKA, March 2 (Hina) - Some two million tons of goods for Hungarian export and import can be transported via the Croatian biggest seaport of Rijeka this year, and this will be four times more as against results achieved in 1999, representatives of Croatian and Hungarian railways said in Rijeka. Croatian Rail (HZ) Director-General, Dragutin Subat, and his Hungarian counterpart, Marton Kukely, on Thursday held talks in Rijeka on the increase and improvement in transportation of cargo and passengers via Rijeka from and to Hungary. After their negotiations, Subat told reporters that Hungarian and Slovakian railways were the most important partners of the HZ in the north-south direction. The joint goal of Hungary and Croatia is to assess the situation on that transportation direction where Rijeka is currently a bottle- neck, Subat added. Subat also urged for this year a single freight rate and fees for cargo handling that can be competitive on the market. He said all three parties - railways in the two neighbouring countries and the port of Rijeka - should strive for bigger results in their activities Marton Kukely said Slovakian Railways and travel agencies would soon join them in negotiations on this matter. (hina) ms