PRIME MINISTER RACAN, PRESIDENT MESIC HOLD MEETING

ZAGREB, Dec 7 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic and Prime Minister Ivica Racan held a meeting at the government building in Zagreb on Thursday evening. Details of the meeting, which was held behind closed doors, are not known but according to President Mesic's statement, the scope of topics could be rather wide. "There are always topics I can discuss with the Prime Minister, we must communicate, the budget is being adopted, we have to talk about all current topics in Croatia," Mesic said before the meeting. Asked about Racan's refusal of his offer of mediation in a dispute between workers' unions and the government, Mesic said, " I did not say I had to mediate but if I can help, I am available." Before the meeting took place, the press speculated that the President's mediation in the dispute between the unions and the government would be the main topic. The President himself left this option open. "We may (discuss) that too, but we have to discuss what is of special importance for Croatia and that is the adoption of regulations compatible to EU countries as soon as possible," he said. "We must accelerate it because otherwise capital will not arrive in Croatia," he added. Commenting on a remark that the meeting will be attended by Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff Petar Stipetic and the presidential advisor on military issues, Imra Agotic, Mesic said this meant the meeting would "also tackle regulations regarding the Croatian Armed Forces." (hina) jn rml