CRO. PARLIAMENT SPEAKER DEPARTS FOR UKRAINE

ZAGREB, June 29 (Hina) - Parliament speaker Zlatko Tomcic on Thursday departed for a day-long visit to Kiev at the head of a Croatian delegation to participate in the work of the Ukraine- Croatia Economy Forum, which convenes today and on Friday. Tomcic will open the Croatian Business Centre in Kiev which, as he told reporters prior to departure, expresses the need that Croatia and the Ukraine, besides good political relations, intensify economic cooperation. "The Ukraine sees Croatia as representing its small door into Europe, which gives Croatia an opportunity to intensify economic cooperation," Tomcic said at Zagreb's airport. He added possibilities of Ukrainean-Croatian economic cooperation were wide, ranging from the chemical, pharmaceutical, metal- working, food-processing and shipbuilding industries, to tourism and small and medium-sized entrepreneurship. Tomcic will make an informal visit to Ukraine's parliament, holding talks with speaker Ivan Pljusc on all bilateral, political, and economic issues. The Croatian delegation comprises parliament deputy speaker Baltazar Jalsovec, Crafts Minister Zeljko Pecek, Agriculture Minister Bozidar Pankretic, Croatian Chamber of Commerce president Nadan Vidosevic, Croatian Chamber of Crafts president Stjepan Safran, and Assistant Economy Minister Kamilo Vrana. (hina) ha