HUNGARY TO FIX HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL SITE NEAR CRO BORDER

( Editorial: --> 3264 ) ZAGREB, Feb 19 (Hina) - Delegations of the Croatian State Administration for Environment Protection and the Hungarian Ministry for the Environment Thursday held talks on cooperation. The delegations talked about a hazardous waste disposal site in Gare, a Hungarian town 40 kilometres from the Croatian-Hungarian border, which upset the Croatian public. At the site there are 63,000 barrels of hazardous chemicals placed below the surface of the earth, with a clay board protection on the earth. According to Hungarian Deputy Environment Minister Katalin Szili, hazardous waste is no longer being brought to the site. Pollution occurred under the protective board, she said, adding her government last November decided to fix the site by the end of this year. Szili and the head of the Croatian state administration for environment protection, Ante Kutle, agreed to expand cooperation in the local border area, to establish an international national park in the Beda-Karapandja and Kopacki Rit area, and to cooperate in the protection of the Danube and Mura rivers. (hina) ha jn 192106 MET feb 98