MESIC MEETS AUSTRIAN ECONOMIC DELEGATION

ZAGREB, March 30 (Hina) - Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic on Thursday received an Austrian delegation led by Finance Minister Karl-Heinz Grasser on an unofficial visit. Mesic and Austrian guests discussed possibilities of strengthening the bilateral cooperation in economy and financial sector. Austrian Minister Grasser described his talks with Mesic as the beginning of intensive cooperation after which we should determine areas of the economic activities and engage Croatian and Austrian businessmen for the furtherance of cooperation, he added. According to him, Vienna is interested in the progress of Croatia. The Austrian minister told reporters that according to direct investments in Croatia, his country is the fourth following United States, Germany and Italy. In Croatia, over 800 Austrian firms are active, and the value of Austria's investments here in 1999 totalled about one billion shillings, he added. He said he had held talks with the Vice President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), that has already ensured some means in Croatia, but also with vice governor of the European Investment Bank (EIB) which is still not present in Croatia owing to current sanctions imposed on Zagreb. Austria advocates the change in that policy towards Croatia, Grasser asserted. He asked President Mesic that Croatia give its contribution to such developments and strong efforts to rehabilitate its own banking system. If we want greater investments and long-term intensive business activities, it is necessary to enhance the security and safety of the Croatian banking system, Grasser explained. Present at the Mesic-Grasser meeting were also leaders of big Austrian companies - Feyock and AERO MED. (hina) jn ms