CROATIAN VICE-PREMIER RECEIVES SPANISH SENATE REPS

( Editorial: --> 3264 ) ZAGREB, May 12 (Hina) - Spain is prepared to help Croatia approach European associations, representatives of the Spanish Senate's International Relations Committee said at Tuesday's meeting with Croatian Vice-Premier and European Integrations Minister, Ljerka Mintas Hodak. The Spanish delegation, which is on a working visit to Croatia, is headed by the chairman of the Senate's Foreign Affairs Committee, Jose Louis Lopez Henares. We spoke about "Spain's support (to Croatia) on its way towards European associations," Mintas-Hodak said after the talks. However, Spain is prepared to help us to "more clearly and fully express the Mediterranean mentality and character of Croatia, within the framework of European integrations," she said. The talks also focused on relations between the two countries. The participants of the talks agreed that conditions exsisted for improvement of relations, as well as their intensifying in "economic, cultural, scientific and other areas". Exhaustive and fruitful talks enabled the Spanish parliamentarians to get well informed about Croatia, Henares said. He added that the delegation and himself expressed "awe" at the work Croatia had accomplished during the past several years, and at the efforts it was investing in order to access European associations. Croatia will assume an important position in European integrations because of its crucial geographic position, Lopez Henares said. The Spanish delegation also held talks on Tuesday with the president of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Nadan Vidosevic, and will hold talks with the Zagreb University dean, Branko Jeren. (hina) lm 121355 MET may 98