DISCUSSION ON STATUS OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANT KRSKO HELD IN ZAGREB

ZAGREB, Oct 7 (Hina) - A dispute over the nuclear power plant "Krsko" should be separated from the set of contentious Croatian- Slovenian issues, and the Croatian Power Industry (HEP) should be let negotiate on this plant, said participants in Wednesday's debate on "NE Krsko - The Current Problems and the Resolution of Its Status." Present at this gathering in Zagreb were responsible state authorities, HEP representatives, scientists, experts, lawyers and consultants, the HEP public relations office reported on Thursday. During a long debate they said that following a ten-year-long process of negotiations possibilities have been mostly exhausted for the prompt agreement which may be acceptable for both parties. Negotiations to date have shown that stances of Croatia and Slovenia are growing away from each other, while the Croatian position is weakening. The HEP, although is a co-owner of the nuclear plant, has been excluded from the NE Krsko management and has been stripped of its property rights. In addition, financial demands from the Slovene party are unacceptable for the HEP, as the manufacturing price of the electric power from Krsko is not competitive within the HEP system, while Slovenia itself admits that power supplies, which belong to the HEP, are being sold at a much lower price than it used to charge for the HEP. Some participants in the discussion advised the HEP to instigate legal proceedings or call on the international arbitration in view to the fact that Slovenia has dented and broken off contractual relations by a series of unilateral measures. All agreed that there is no need for politicising this problem. There was a proposal that negotiations on this matter should be left over to the HEP as the economic subject entitled to protect its investments. (hina) ms