CROATIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES TURKISH PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT

( Editorial: --> 6161 ) ZAGREB, 21 Jan (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Wednesday received the President of the Turkish Parliament, Hikmet Cetin, the President's Office said in a statement. During the second day of his visit to Croatia, Cetin met with Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa and Foreign Minister Mate Granic as well. During the meeting with President Tudjman, Cetin conveyed congratulations from the Turkish President Suleyman Demirel on the successfully completed reintegration of the Croatian Danube River region. Cetin also conveyed President Demirel's invitation for President Tudjman to visit Turkey, which President Tudjman accepted with pleasure. Tudjman expressed satisfaction with the development of Croatian- Turkish relations and Turkey's constructive role in solving the crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The two sides stressed the importance of constructing the Zagreb- Bihac (northwestern Bosnia-Herzegovina)-Dubrovnik motorway, with connections to the Bosnian capital Sarajevo and Croatian ports of Split and Ploce, in which Turkish construction companies are very interested. The two high officials expressed a wish for strengthening the economic cooperation between Croatia and Turkey. Cetin expressed support for Croatia joining NATO. Present at the meeting, on President Tudjman's side, were also the President's Chief Of Staff Hrvoje Sarinic, state seal keeper Ivan Milas and Croatian Ambassador to Turkey, Ivica Tomic. During the day, the President of the Turkish Parliament was also received by Premier Zlatko Matesa. Matesa informed Cetin about the continuation of talks on the Agreement on Special Relations between Croatia and the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The agreement is also to include the solution to the question on use of the Croatian port of Ploce by the Federation and the solution to the question of unobstructed passage via a road running along the Croatian Adriatic coast through some 10 km of Federation territory. Premier Matesa was invited to visit Turkey soon, which he accepted with pleasure. Cetin also met Foreign Minister Mate Granic today. The two officials stressed the need for consistent implementation of the Washington and Dayton peace agreements. (hina) jn rm 211725 MET jan 98