PORGES AND GREGR HOLD TALKS ON CRO-CZECH ECONOMIC COOPERATION

PRAGUE, April 12 (Hina) - Croatian Economy Minister Nenad Porges and the Czech Minister of Industry and Trade, Miroslav Gregr, on Tuesday held talks on the economic cooperation between the two countries, with emphasis on Croatia's admission to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), trade liberalisation, debt clearance, and possibilities of expanding trade. Porges expressed satisfaction with the talks, and the support of the Czech Government and the Industry and Trade Ministry, for Croatia's efforts to accelerate the solving of technical details regarding its admission to the WTO. Porges said they also addressed concrete forms of cooperation, such as the production of tractors, the inclusion of Czech investors in the privatisation of Croatian hotels, and modernisation and reconstruction of Croatian railways. As regards the clearing balance, Croatia supports the Czech initiative on a tripartite meeting between Czech, Slovak, and Croatian officials, but we will follow the Croatian Government's decision that bilateral agreements will be signed with the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Porges said. According to Gregr, Croatia and the Czech Republic had harmonised their views on many issues. He stressed that since 1993, trade between the two countries has been increasing. (hina) it jn/rml