CROATIAN, CZECH FOREIGN MINISTERS DISCUSS SEVERAL CURRENT ISSUES

PRAGUE, June 12 (Hina) - Croatian and Czech foreign ministers Tonino Picula and Jan Kavan respectively held talks in Prague on Monday. Discussed were debt clearance and increased investments of the Czech Republic into Croatia as well as the continuation of talks on a free trade agreement, a stronger bilateral cooperation within regional and international organisations, and mutual support in transition and Euro-Atlantic integration processes. "Debt clearance between Croatia and the Czech Republic has practically been agreed on," Picula said. The two ministers agreed that the debt, amounting to 2.9 million US dollars as money of account in the clearing payment scheme, be tied to increased Czech investments into Croatia. "Czech business people want to increase their investments in Croatia," Kavan said. Minister Picula is visiting Prague as a member of a delegation led by Prime Minister Ivica Racan. The Croatian minister said the talks also tackled cooperation within international and regional organisations - the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) and the Central European Initiative (CEI), as well as the Adriatic-Ionian initiative, and Euro-Atlantic integration processes. Both ministers expressed a wish for the Czech Republic to be more present in South-East Europe. "The Czech Republic is for the time being only an observer-country within the Stability Pact but it wishes to participate more actively," Kavan said. (hina) mm rml