CROATIAN AND HUNGARIAN PRESIDENTS HOLD TALKS

BALATONSZOD, April 29 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic, who is participating in a central European summit in Hungary, on Saturday held talks with the host of the summit, Hungarian President Arpad Goenczom, in Balatonszod. During the talks the two presidents tackled further promotion of political and economic cooperation between Croatia and Hungary, particularly in the construction of road infrastructure, the use of the northern Adriatic port of Rijeka, cooperation between the two national oil refineries, INA and MOL, and the protection of the position of minorities. Hungary will offer its experience as a NATO member country to Croatia for its approaching the European Union and NATO. According to unofficial sources, the two presidents also discussed travelling between the two countries and how to make it easier, namely crossing the Croatian-Hungarian border with an identification card, on which an agreement should be signed during the visit of Croatian Premier Ivica Racan to Hungary which is to take place in May. Later in the day, President Mesic is to hold bilateral talks with presidents of Ukraine, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Austria. Before his return to Croatia, the Croatian President will visit the Croatian community in Tukula, near Budapest. (hina) it