FIZULIC - RUSSIA'S CLEARING TOWARD CROATIA HAS BEEN MADE TOPICAL AGAIN

ZAGREB, April 7 (Hina) - Croatian representatives have made Russia's clearing toward Croatia topical again and it has been agreed that the five former Yugoslav republics should try to find, together with Russia, a solution to the problem, Croatian Economy Minister Goranko Fizulic said in Zagreb on Friday. "It is known that the Russian Federation owes US$500 million to Croatia and this is the problem of succession to the former Yugoslavia and the unwillingness of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to resolve that problem according to the IMF model," Fizulic told reporters after a meeting between Croatian President Stipe Mesic and Russian Economy Minister Andrei Shapovalyants. The Russian official on Thursday held talks with Prime Minister Ivica Racan and Finance Minister Mato Crkvenac, and on Friday opened the second session of the Croatian-Russian government commission for cooperation in trade, economy, science and technology. "The Croatian side has again topicalised that issue and it was agreed that the five countries-successors to the former Yugoslavia and the Russian Federation try to find a solution to the problem," Fizulic said after Mesic-Shapovalyants meeting, which he attended. "We have expressed dissatisfaction with the level of Croatian- Russian trade, especially as regards Croatia's exports to Russia. The ratio between Croatian and Russian exports is 1:10, which is one of the most negative balances of trade Croatia has with any country," Fizulic said, adding one would try to solve the problem by increasing the export of drugs and ships to Russia. The Russian minister said his talks with Mesic focused on the implementation of power projects, primarily the Adriatic oil pipeline. Also discussed was the construction of a Hungarian-Croatian oil pipeline and oil transport from Hungary to Croatia, as well as supply transit through Croatia, both within the trans-European corridor and Russian-Croatian cooperation, Shapovalyants said. "The Russian side was acquainted with a study on Croatia's power strategy for the next ten years, which is being drawn up and which also includes the privatisation of the Croatian Oil Industry (INA) and the Croatian Power Industry (HEP), since Russia is interested in the stand of the Croatian Government regarding the purchase of Russian gas and the sources of power Croatia has at its disposal," Fizulic said. The two sides also expressed mutual interest in cooperation in culture, science, and tourism. (hina) rml