INA AND ENERGOINVEST REACH A SETTLEMENT TO END DEBT DISPUTE

( Editorial: --> 6021 ) ZAGREB, Mar 2 (Hina) - Heads of Croatian oil company INA and Sarajevo's Energoinvest-Energopetrol on Monday signed an agreement in which their dispute over the Bosnian firm's debt to INA was settled. The settlement allows the conversion of the debt into a six-month credit relationship, said a statement issued by INA's public relations department today. Energoinvest promised that the amount of its debt to INA of US$3.4 million and 694,000 German marks be settled through deferred payments in equal monthly instalments of $500,000, starting from March until the repayment of the total debt. INA committed itself to immediately, without delay, seek the lifting of interim measures on the management of 18,300 tonnes of petroleum products in the containers of Sarajevo's Energopetrol d.o.o. in Ploce. This measure was issued following a ruling by the Commercial Court in Split on 25 February to uphold a demand by INA to protect its claims. INA also announced the conclusion of an agreement on Energopetrol Zagreb's exclusive buying of INA products, which should be signed tomorrow (3 March), while INA confirmed it intends to buy products from the Energoinvest range. (Hina) jn mb 021807 MET mar 98