ZAGREB, Sept 28 (Hina) - Hungarian President Arpad Goencz and Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa on Tuesday held talks on political, economic and cultural relations between the two neighbouring countries.
ZAGREB, Sept 28 (Hina) - Hungarian President Arpad Goencz and
Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa on Tuesday held talks on political,
economic and cultural relations between the two neighbouring
countries.#L#
Our assessment is that economic relations are starting slowly to
develop and follow the good political ties, Matesa said after the
talks, adding that there were several concrete projects for the
furtherance of economic cooperation.
These projects refer to the expansion of the seaport of Rijeka, the
construction of the Rijeka-Budapest motorway, namely the Hungarian
side's task to finish the Budapest-Gorican section by 2003 and a
possible merger of the Hungarian oil company MOL with the Croatian
company INA.
What is most interesting for both parties is an agreement on a free
trade zone, with prospects of its conclusion by the end of this
year, Matesa said adding the both the Croatian and Hungarian
Governments will do its best to sign that agreement as soon as
possible.
Hungarian President and Croatian Premier also discussed the
protection of national minorities. Both countries are satisfied
with the situation and conditions in which their national
minorities live in Croatia and Hungary respectively, and they are
ready to improve this quality further, Matesa added.
The two officials talked about the cultural cooperation as well.
(hina) ms