CROATIAN, BOSNIAN BUSINESS PEOPLE IMPATIENT TO SIGN TRADE ACCORD

ZAGREB, April 19 (Hina) - Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina have a mutual interest for the agreement on trade to be signed as soon as possible, representatives of the two countries' chambers of commerce said in Zagreb Wednesday. The two chambers must subject both countries' governments to pressure with the aim of having talks on a trade agreement continue as soon as possible, chairpersons on regional and cantonal chambers of commerce of the Bosnian Federation and the Republika Srpska, as well as chairpersons of Croatian county chambers of commerce, said at a meeting held at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce. Negotiations on the signing of the trade agreement should have taken place in mid-April in Sarajevo, but the Bosnian side failed to forward an invitation for talks, so the Croatian Economy Ministry decided the meeting should take place on May 12 in Zagreb, Assistant Economy Minister Olgica Spevec said. The Croatian side advocates a completely liberal trade regime, seen as there are very few outstanding issues in economic relations between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, especially in industry where the two countries' companies are not mutually competitive, Spevec said. (hina) lml jn