GRANIC INTERVIEWED BY SLOVAK NEWS AGENCY & DAILY PAPER

BRATISLAVA, Feb 15 (Hina) - On the eve of his arrival to Slovakia, Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic granted interviews for Slovak news agency TASR and "Prace" daily. Minister Granic spoke about bilateral cooperation between Croatia and Slovakia, especially about the advancement of economic cooperation. Granic also spoke about the attempts of both countries to enter European and transatlantic integration, about mutual support in these efforts, the priorities of Croatia's foreign policy, including stronger cooperation in central Europe and the Mediterranean, and about the situation in the region. Granic said Croatia and Slovakia could assist each other in entering various international organisations, and pointed out Croatia's access to the Central European Free Trade Association (CEFTA) could expedite Croatia's Euro-Atlantic integration. "Croatia appreciates Slovakia's support to (Croatia's) access to the CEFTA", Granic told "Prace" daily. According to the TASR agency, Granic said the good cooperation between Croatia and Slovakia could be advanced "by concretising already reached agreements on international corridors, rail transport, the use of Croatia's ports, shipbuilding, and stronger cooperation of Croatian and Slovak firms." Asked by a TASR reporter when Croatian President Franjo Tudjman might visit Bratislava, Granic said it might take place after Slovakia's presidential elections, expected for the first half of the year. In view of Croatia's negotiations on the settling of its debt to the Czech Republic, Granic was asked about the course of such negotiations with Slovakia. The Foreign Minister said Croatia considered settling the debts "in a non-traditional way, i.e. by offering to both the Czech and Slovak sides the lease of some tourist objects owned by Croatia, with a symbolic benefit for a specific period of time." (hina) ha