SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY MINISTRY SAYS WATER IN ADRIATIC SEA IS CLEAN

( Editorial: --> 9715 ) ZAGREB, July 24 (Hina) - The Croatian Government in the closed part of its session on Friday accepted a report on the sixth round of bilateral talks on Croatia's access to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The government assessed the negotiations up to now had noticeably advanced, the government Communications Office said in a statement. The government ordered the Economy and Agriculture Ministries and the Croatian National Bank to prepare and deliver answers to its negotiation partners on demands expressed in the recent round of talks. The Science and Technology Ministry informed the government about the results of its systematic monitoring of the Adriatic Sea's water quality, known as Project "Jadran" (Adriatic). In open waters there were no signs of possible unusual occurrences. During May and June there was an increase in salinity in middle levels of the Adriatic, which caused a cleansing of the seas from accumulated organic matter and positively influenced the cleanliness of the sea. The government also released Ivan Vrkic from his duty as director of the Agency for Facilitating Real Estate Transactions and named Science and Technology Ministry secretary Davor Rajcic as his replacement. Vrkic will be the new director of Croatian Radio Television (HRT). (Hina) mbr jn /ha 241831 MET jul 98