CROATIAN & HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS HOLD TALKS IN BUDAPEST

( Editorial: --> 3919 ) BUDAPEST, April 1 (Hina) - The Hungarian and Croatian Foreign Ministers, Laszlo Kovacs and Mate Granic, held talks in Budapest on Wednesday. The two ministers said they believed that economic and cultural cooperation between Croatia and Hungary should be raised to a higher level. Speaking at a press conference after the talks, Kovacs stressed Hungary's wish to participate in the reconstruction of the Croatian Danube River region and Hungarian villages in the region, as well as in the projects of reconstruction of the Croatian ports of Rijeka and Ploce. A Hungarian bridge construction company was chosen to perform a large part of reconstruction works in a section of the Ploce port and an agreement on this will be signed on April 8. Together with the German, Norwegian and Croatian governments, the Hungarian government will participate in the de-mining of the Danube region, Kovacs said. Hungary was preparing to open an honorary consulate in Split, the Hungarian minister said, adding Croatia too would have an honorary consulate in the Hungarian county of Zala. Granic thanked Kovacs for the support his country gave Croatia prior to its admission to the Danube Commission and congratulated him on the beginning of talks on Hungary's integration into the European Union. The Croatian minister advocated an increase in trade exchange, which last year amounted to US$287 million. Granic also stressed the importance of the future Budapest-Zagreb- Rijeka motorway, the completion of which, he said, was in the interest of both countries. Granic announced the possibility for citizens of both countries to cross the Croatian-Hungarian border only with their identification cards. Experts have already discussed this and final permission will be given by the two governments, Granic said. Granic and Kovacs opened the new building of the Croat minority self-government in Budapest. The status of the Croat minority in Hungary and that of the Hungarian minority in Croatia was an example of high standards in the protection of minority rights, the two ministers said. (hina) jn rm /mb 011504 MET apr 98