CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE PUSH FOR INCREASING CROATIA-BOSNIA TRADE

( Editorial: --> 4701 ) ZAGREB, June 30 (Hina) - A mixed committee of the Croatian and Bosnian Chambers of Commerce discussed in Zagreb on Tuesday the application of an economic cooperation agreement between the two countries. Bosnia-Herzegovina is one of Croatia's most important trading partners. Last year Croatia had exports worth $649 million to BH, while it imported $137 million in goods from that country. The committee believes trade is burdened by the poor state of road and rail links and obstacles in border traffic. Bosnian delegation leader Petar Skert said he wanted cooperation to be extended to the Bosnian Serb entity, not just the Croat-Muslim Federation. He believes that resolution of the issue surrounding Bosnia's use of the Croatian port of Ploce would facilitate imports and exports from BH. The committee proposed that the Croatian Chamber urge Croatian firms to buy products from BH instead of third countries (eg. industrial salt). Representatives of both delegations recalled problems of the grey market, because Croatian products were entering BH uncontrolled and no customs duties were being paid on them. The Croatian President's special envoy for relations with the Federation of BH, Franjo Greguric, said that in the past few years there had been problems in trade between Croatia and Bosnia because of the war, but figures showed that it was gradually increasing. Greguric believes that economic relations between the two countries are burdened by political relations and that many people were awaiting for the results of the autumn elections in BH to begin cooperating with Croatia. The two delegations agreed that a revision of the agreement would widen economic cooperation. (Hina) mbr jn /lml 301603 MET jun 98