MOSCOW, Dec 4 (Hina) - Croatian Economy Minister Goranko Fizulic on Monday held talks in Moscow with Russia's Industry, Technology and Science Minister, Aleksandar Dundukov, about levelling export and import between the two countries
and returning the Soviet debt to Croatia. Overall annual trade between Croatia and Russia totals about 550 million dollars. However, Croatia is exporting only 50 million dollars worth of goods and services onto the Russian market, while it is importing goods and services from Russia in excess of 500 million dollars. Croatia's insufficient presence on the Russian market is best illustrated with the fact that its export into Russia accounts for only one per cent of Croatia's entire export. The two ministers, therefore, agreed Monday both sides would undertake measures to change the situation, primarily through activating Croatia's ship-building and construction. Another subjec
MOSCOW, Dec 4 (Hina) - Croatian Economy Minister Goranko Fizulic on
Monday held talks in Moscow with Russia's Industry, Technology and
Science Minister, Aleksandar Dundukov, about levelling export and
import between the two countries and returning the Soviet debt to
Croatia.
Overall annual trade between Croatia and Russia totals about 550
million dollars. However, Croatia is exporting only 50 million
dollars worth of goods and services onto the Russian market, while
it is importing goods and services from Russia in excess of 500
million dollars.
Croatia's insufficient presence on the Russian market is best
illustrated with the fact that its export into Russia accounts for
only one per cent of Croatia's entire export. The two ministers,
therefore, agreed Monday both sides would undertake measures to
change the situation, primarily through activating Croatia's ship-
building and construction.
Another subject of talks between Fizulic and Dundukov was the
returning of Soviet debts to Croatia, estimated to total about
US$250 million. Russia has not been returning the debt due to
Milosevic's Federal Republic of Yugoslavia refusing to recognise
the equality of states-successors to the former Yugoslavia.
Following the recent change of government authority in Yugoslavia,
this obstacle seems to have been removed, so Dundukov confirmed
Russia's readiness to begin concrete negotiations with successor
countries on returning the debt.
The two ministers also spoke about the interest of Russian oil
companies to use Croatia's pipe line and terminal in Omisalj (south
Adriatic) to transport oil to the West.
This September, Croatia's pipe line company JANAF signed an
agreement with Moscow's "Druzba" on the transport of five million
tonnes of oil annually, from Samara (south of Russia) through
Ukraine and Hungary to Sisak and Omisalj.
An oil company from Tyumen is now also showing interest in using the
Croatian oil pipe.
Fizulic and Dundukov also spoke about joint businesses in Croatia's
free trade zones (Sibenik and Zadar harbours).
Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula also arrived in Moscow on
Monday, carrying with him a letter by President Stipe Mesic
inviting Russia's President Vladimir Putin to visit Zagreb.
Picula is scheduled to hold talks with his counterpart Igor Ivanov
on Tuesday.
(hina) lml