CROATIAN, HUNGARIAN OFFICIALS TO HOLD CONSULTATIONS NEXT WEEK

ZAGREB/BUDAPEST, Dec 1 (Hina) - Croatian and Hungarian officials will meet in Budapest on December 6 for regular political consultations, which will focus on the two countries' relations and initiatives for stabilising South-East Europe, the Croatian and Hungarian foreign ministries reported on Wednesday. Croatia's Assistant Foreign Minister Josip Paro will on December 6 meet Deputy State Secretary at the Hungarian Foreign Ministry, Gabor Bagi, said Zeljko Trkanjec, spokesman at the Croatian Foreign Ministry. A spokesman for the Hungarian Foreign Ministry said in a statement today that Paro and Bagi would discuss bilateral relations and initiatives for the stabilisation of South-East Europe. The Croatian-Hungarian relations are well-regulated, cooperation between the countries in a number of areas is exemplary and their overall cooperation is of strategic importance, the statement said. Hungary attaches special importance to improving the development of economic relations, as well as the status of minorities, the Croat minority in Hungary and the Hungarian in Croatia. Hungary considers Croatia to be a friendly partner of primary importance. Trade between the two countries in 1999 amounted to US$262.5 million, which is a significant amount, however, it is in both countries' interest to increase it. Hungary attaches special importance to Croatia's reconstruction and has set aside funds from its budget to finance a number of reconstruction projects in eastern Slavonia and Baranja, the statement concluded. (hina) mm rml