JERUSALEM, Aug 1 (Hina) - Israel and Croatia on Tuesday signed two economic agreements: one referring to the trade and economic co-operation and the other to the mutual stimulation and protection of investment.
JERUSALEM, Aug 1 (Hina) - Israel and Croatia on Tuesday signed two
economic agreements: one referring to the trade and economic co-
operation and the other to the mutual stimulation and protection of
investment.#L#
The treaties were signed by Israeli Deputy Premier David Levy and
his Croatian counterpart Goran Granic.
The relations between our two countries are being improved and
steadily broadened, Levy told reporters after he signed the
documents.
Granic, accompanied by Ministers of Economy, Defence, Foreign
Affairs, Tourism, Science and Technology, Goranko Fizulic, Jozo
Rados, Tonino Picula, Pave Zupan-Ruskovic and Hrvoje Kraljevic
respectively, arrived in Israel on Sunday on a four-day visit.
This visit is the confirmation of our resoluteness to continue our
relations in all fields, Levy added.
Granic described the signing of the aforementioned agreements as an
important moment in the Israeli-Croatian ties.
"They mean a fresh start in the cooperation between Israel and
Croatia," Croatia's First Deputy Prime Minister said.
After the signing of the treaties, the two delegations, led by Levy
and Granic, began official talks on the furtherance of the
political and economic ties between Israel and Croatia.
Croatia has seen Israel as a strategic partner and I believe that
our economies will be linked further, Granic added.
The treaties as well as announced possible negotiations on a free
trade agreement should help improve the bilateral trade which
currently totals just 20 million dollars annually.
Goran Granic also invited Israeli businessmen to visit Croatia and
check possibilities for investment.
Croatian reporters asked Levy to comment on Goran Granic's
condemnation of crimes committed against Jews during World War II
in Europe, including Croatia, under the Ustashi regime and Nazi
occupation. During his visit to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial
centre in Jerusalem, on Monday, Granic, on behalf of the Croatian
Government, condemned crimes committed against Jews by the Ustashi
regime in Croatia (1941-1945).
The Israeli official said that horrendous things which had happened
to his people were like an open wound which has not yet healed.
In this context he said that it was necessary to look at what
happened in the past and convey a message that crimes must not
happen any more prior to turning to the future.
I believe that the new Croatian Government has taken such
direction, Levy added.
Croatia's delegation arrived in Israel at a not fortunate moment
while the Israeli Government is facing an internal crisis owing to
disagreement about the Israeli stand at the Camp David talks.
Levy, a coalition partner of Premier Ehud Barak, announced his
resignation for Wednesday believing that Barak is making too big
concessions to Palestinians at those negotiations.
(hina) ms