CROATIAN AND HUNGARIAN MPS DISCUSS FUTURE COOPERATION

( Editorial: --> 4817 ) ZAGREB, Feb 26 (Hina) - Delegations of the Croatian and Hungarian Parliaments met on Thursday in Zagreb to discuss cooperation on integration of the two countries into common European mechanisms. "Croatia and Hungary have no differences, but there is still a lot of room for development of our relations," said president of the Hungarian Parliament foreign affairs committee Istvan Szent- Ivanyi. Szent-Ivanyi reported that on Tuesday the Hungarian parliament ratified a bilateral agreement on free trade with Croatia, creating conditions for avoiding double taxation. President of the Croatian parliament's foreign affairs committee Zarko Domljan stressed that Croatia appreciated Hungary's support for the traffic corridors No. 10 and 5 and asked his Hungarian colleagues to back the plan for linking of the future Budapest- Zagreb motorway with Trieste. "The plan has met with certain opposition in Slovenia. Hence, we would like to call on Hungary to use its leverage as a member of the trilateral association Italy-Slovenia-Hungary when the decision is made on the Trieste branch of corridor No. 5," Domljan said. Speaking about Hungary's interest for maritime ports, MP Szent- Ivany said: "Hungary will have its port where its free trade zone will be". On Thursday the Hungarian delegation was also received by Croatian National Parliament president Vlatko Pavletic and Foreign Minister Mate Granic. (Hina) mm mr 262053 MET feb 98