CRO PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT MEETS JAPANESE DEPUTY FINANCE MINISTER

ZAGREB, July 9 (Hina) - Croatian Parliament President Vlatko Pavletic on Friday met Japan's Deputy Finance Minister and the founder of a Japanese-Croatian parliamentary friendship league, Sadakazu Tanigaki. Croatia and Japan have always had good relations and we hope the economic cooperation would be expanded with an agreement on avoiding double taxation, Pavletic said during the meeting. He added the current low trade between the two countries could be compensated for with more tourist arrivals from Japan. The Japanese official agreed with Pavletic, adding though that Japanese tourists knew little of Croatia's natural beauties. According to Tanigaki, another problem is instability in the region. Tanigaki, who is a former science and technology minister, said he was particularly interested in cooperation in the field of technology. He supported the signing of the agreement on avoiding double taxation but added a precondition for that was an increase in trade. Pavletic supported Japan's admission to the U.N. Security Council and invited a Japanese parliamentary delegation to visit Zagreb. Present at the meeting at Tanigaki's side was Japan's Ambassador to Croatia, Keisuke Oba. (hina) rml