CROATIA AND MACEDONIA SIGN AN AGREEMENT ON PLANT PROTECTION

( Editorial: --> 3040 ) ZAGREB, 11 August (Hina)- Croatia and Macedonia signed an agreement on protection of plants which is meant to boost the bilateral trade in agricultural products and foodstuffs. The agreement was signed on Tuesday in Zagreb by the Croatian minister of agriculture and forestry Zlatko Dominikovic and the Macedonian minister of agriculture, forestry and waters, Kiro Dokuzovski, who came to Zagreb on Tuesday on a two day visit to Croatia. "This agreement is meant to improve bilateral trade and remove all the obstacles to a better marketing of goods", Dokuzovski told the press after the signing. The agreement defines a single set of standards and criteria for the control of mutual import and export of agricultural products and foodstuffs, thus providing for a more efficient protection of plants in both countries. In 1997 Croatian exports of agricultural products and foodstuffs to Macedonia amounted to $US 14 million and its imports from Macedonia to $US 9 million. Both ministers described the total volume of bilateral trade insufficient, given the compatibility of Croatian and Macedonian economies and the possibilities for the exchange of surplus goods. (Hina) lm mr 111856 MET aug 98