SKEGRO DISCUSSES INVESTMENT POSSIBILITIES WITH JAPANESE DELEGATION

ZAGREB, July 9 (Hina) - Croatian Finance Minister Borislav Skegro on Friday held talks with a Japanese delegation, led by Deputy Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki, on expanding the economic cooperation between the two countries and Japan's direct investments in Croatia. Following the talks, Skrego stressed the good Croatian-Japanese cooperation, which, he said, included not only trade but the presence of Japanese banks on the Croatian market. Japanese business people are interested in investing into the process of privatisation, primarily in big privatisation projects, such as the privatisation of the Croatian Telecommunications (HT), INA oil company and the Croatian Power Supply (HEP), Skegro said. Tanigaki said Japanese that as a vice-president of a Croatian- Japanese parliamentary friendship league he would personally promote such investments. The Japanese delegation was also interested in the impact of the Kosovo crisis on Croatia's economy. Skegro said a Croatian government delegation, accompanied by businessmen, would visit Japan this autumn to present Croatia's economic and cooperation potential. The Japanese deputy finance minister is paying a visit to Croatia from July 8-11. (hina) rml