ISTANBUL ISTANBUL, Nov 7 (Hina) - On Tuesday, the final day of its two-day visit to Turkey, a Croatian government delegation, led by Premier Ivica Racan, arrived in Istanbul, the centre of the Turkish business life. Today Premier
Racan will hold talks with Turkish committee in charge of promotion of economic ties with foreign countries (DEIK), established 14 years ago to help stimulate foreign investments in Turkey and facilitate Turkish companies' appearance abroad. At the meeting Racan will be accompanied by Ministers of Maritime Affairs and Transport, Alojz Tusek, and Construction and Public Works, Radimir Cacic. Present at the meeting will be representatives of 18 big Turkish companies, some of which have already been engaged in Croatia such as a construction concern called ENKA which is employed by an American firm, Bechtel, on constructing highways "Zagreb- Bregana" and "Bosiljevo-Sv. Rok". On Monday Premier Racan
ISTANBUL, Nov 7 (Hina) - On Tuesday, the final day of its two-day
visit to Turkey, a Croatian government delegation, led by Premier
Ivica Racan, arrived in Istanbul, the centre of the Turkish
business life.
Today Premier Racan will hold talks with Turkish committee in
charge of promotion of economic ties with foreign countries (DEIK),
established 14 years ago to help stimulate foreign investments in
Turkey and facilitate Turkish companies' appearance abroad.
At the meeting Racan will be accompanied by Ministers of Maritime
Affairs and Transport, Alojz Tusek, and Construction and Public
Works, Radimir Cacic.
Present at the meeting will be representatives of 18 big Turkish
companies, some of which have already been engaged in Croatia such
as a construction concern called ENKA which is employed by an
American firm, Bechtel, on constructing highways "Zagreb- Bregana"
and "Bosiljevo-Sv. Rok".
On Monday Premier Racan held talks with his Turkish counterpart
Bulent Ecevit and was received by President Ahmet Sezer in Ankara.
Croatian PM expressed satisfaction with results of the tour to
Ankara and with Turkish hosts' interest in the furtherance of ties
and economic cooperation with Croatia.
Croatians gave an initiative for concluding a treaty on free trade
between these two countries, and Ankara greeted the suggestion. The
date for the commencement of negotiations on the matter is linked
with the start of negotiations between Zagreb and the European
Union on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement.
The trade between Croatia and Turkey amounted to 38.6 million
dollars in 1999. Croatia's export accounted for only 8.5 million.
The strong Turkish economy with $205 billion of Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) in 1999, the annual growth rate between 6 and 8
percent and with the market with 57 million people offers great
possibilities to Croatian exporters.
Very good political relations should be used for the improvement of
the economic cooperation between the two countries.
Premier Racan announced that his country would continue promoting
its economic potentials abroad.
Directors of Croatian electric appliances factory 'Koncar', food-
processing industry 'Podravka' and construction firm 'Viadukt'
took part in meeting which the Croatian government delegation held
in Turkey.
This visit of Croatian officials and businessmen was very well
covered by Turkish electronic media and press.
(hina) ms