CRO & AUSTRIAN RAILWAYS CONFIRM GOOD COOPERATION

( Editorial: --> 7138 ) ZAGREB, Oct 9 (Hina) - The heads of the Croatian Railways (HZ) and the Oesterreichische Bundesbahnen (OBB), Marijan Klaric and Helmut Draxler respectively, met in Zagreb on Friday for talks on cooperation between the two companies. The HZ and OBB, which are negotiating a project on a railway Vienna- Split, have shown interest in transport of reserve parts for Skoda vehicles from the Czech Republic to an assembly plant in Sarajevo. Draxler, who is a member of the commission for international freight transport, said the OBB would give technical and expert help to the HZ in the introduction of a computer-controlled system of transport regulation. The Croatian state has already set aside DM five million for this purpose. Europe is facing a "railway renaissance", especially in regard to transport of goods, which will relieve road transport, Draxler said. In the next five years, the Austrian Railways, which are not owned by the state, plan to invest DM23 million into the introduction of main European corridors running through Austria towards other countries, including Croatia, the OBB director said. (hina) rml 091503 MET oct 98