PRESIDENT MESIC MEETS KUWAITI BUSINESSMAN NASER AL-MARRIA

ZAGREB, June 15 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic on Thursday met Adriatic Oil Pipeline (JANAF) director Ante Cicin Sain, who was accompanied by Naser al-Marria, representative of one of the world's leading investors Kuwait Investment Authority, which is interested in investing into Croatia's oil industry, tourism, banking and telecommunications. Kuwait Investment Authority, which is present as a major investor in renown banks and companies such as Deutsche Bank and Mercedes Benz, is participating in an international conference on the prospects of the Adriatic oil pipeline, which is held in Zagreb under the auspices of the European Union and Croatian Economy Ministry. Following talks with Mesic, JANAF director Cicin Sain told reporters the talks focused on the Adriatic oil pipeline and its debt of some 40 million dollars toward the Kuwaiti government, i.e. Kuwait Investment Authority, which wants to turn the debt into a 10- 12 percent share in the JANAF, Cicin Sain said. He explained the debt dated to the old Yugoslav government, which was divided into the Paris and London Clubs. The debt to the Paris Club was taken over by Croatia, because it referred to facilities built on Croatia's territory. President Mesic supported the talks, which were mutually useful, Cicin Sain said. Kuwait's Naser al-Marria said the talks focused on the future cooperation between his company and the Croatian government. The President has promised that all problems we are facing will be solved, he said, adding his company wished to invest into oil industry, banking, tourism and other industrial branches. We believe that Croatia is a good market and that it will be very attractive to investors in the region, al-Marria said. (hina) mm rml