CROATIAN PREMIER HOLDS TALKS WITH US COMPANY DELEGATION

ZAGREB, July 12 (Hina) - Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa on Monday held talks with a delegation of the US company Bechtel on construction works the company is carrying out on sections of the Bregana-Zagreb-Dubrovnik motorway. Construction works which are in progress on the section from Bregana (on the border with Slovenia) to Zagreb are proceeding very well, Matesa said after the meeting. He announced that the Bechtel delegation, led by president Adrian Zaccaria, and a delegation of company ENKA, led by president Sharik Tara would today also visit the St Rok tunnel, on the section of the future motorway running towards the south. Works on the section Bosiljevo-Sveti Rok, as well as on the whole motorway to Split (central Adriatic) should be completed by the end of the year 2004. The project has a strategic dimension as well, Matesa said. The motorway will not only connect north-western inland Croatia with its coastal southern regions, but it will also be a part of the so- called Adriatic or southern highway running from Turkey through Greece, Albania, Montenegro to Croatia and Italy, Matesa said. He reminded that Croatia had already signed a letter of intent on that matter with the Greek government during a visit of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman to Greece. The promotion of this project was one of the issues discussed at today's talks, he added. Bechtel's Adrian Zaccario expressed satisfaction with the project his company was carrying out in Croatia. The Bechtel and ENKA delegations today also held talks with Croatia's Minister of Development, Immigration and Reconstruction, Jure Radic. (hina) jn rml