HUNGARIAN TRANSPORT MINISTER RECEIVES CRO AMBASSADOR

( Editorial: --> 9000 ) BUDAPEST, Sept 8 (Hina) - Hungarian Transport, Communications and Water Management Minister Kalman Katona and Croatia's Ambassador to Hungary Zdenko Skrabalo discussed inter-state cooperation in Budapest on Tuesday. Katona expressed Hungary's satisfaction that the construction of the Zagreb-Gorican motorway (Gorican is near the Croatian- Hungarian border) was proceeding very quickly and successfully. The new Hungarian Government will also pay special attention to the construction of motorways, Katona said. It will soon be known when the motorway section from Leteny to Siofok, linking the Hungarian-Croatian border with Budapest, will be completed. Katona and Skrabalo also discussed the use of river ports by Hungarian companies, and the establishment of passenger air links between Zagreb and Budapest and Budapest and the Croatian coast during the tourist season. It was confirmed that the directors of the Hungarian and Croatian Railways will meet in Budapest for talks on September 21 and 22. The Hungarian Transport Minister informed Skrabalo that the electrification of the railway line between Balaton Lake and Nagykanizsa in Hungary was nearly finished. These improvements to the line will considerably speed up railway traffic towards Croatia. Also present at today's meeting were the head of Katona's cabinet, Andras Hardy, and the economics advisor at the Croatian Embassy in Budapest, Imre Toth. (hina) rml /mbr 081921 MET sep 98