CROATIA, ALBANIA SUPPORT IMPROVEMENT OF ECONOMIC COOPERATION

ZAGREB, Nov 22 (Hina) - A mixed government commission for economic cooperation between Albania and Croatia started a two-day session in Zagreb on Monday. The commission is chaired by Croatia's Economy Minister Nenad Porges and the Albanian minister of public works, Arben Demeti. The session will end tomorrow with the signing of a protocol. During the meeting, the two sides will discuss economic cooperation and opportunities for expanding it, especially within the Stability Pact for South-East Europe, which offers cooperation possibilities. Preconditions for the future economic cooperation between Croatia and Albania are the establishment of cooperation between business banks since there is still no cooperation between Croatia and Albania in this field, and all financial transfers are realised through German commercial banks, it was said at the session. Another area which needs improvements is traffic since goods are transported via Italy and Slovenia and not directly from Croatia to Albania and vice versa. Also needed are better connections between Croatian and Albanian ports, the re-establishment of air service between Zagreb and Tirana, and the establishment of road and railway traffic along the Adriatic coast (Albania supports the project of the Adriatic- Ionian road). The overall trade between the two countries in the past several years amounted to about seven million US dollars, which is very modest considering the potential for cooperation. A free trade agreement would be an incentive to a higher trade rate and expansion of economic cooperation, which is why the possibility of liberalisation of trade between Croatia and Albania has to be considered, it was said at the session. (hina) mm rml