PAVLETIC MEETS IRANIAN COUNTERPART & FOREIGN MINISTER

TEHERAN, Oct 27 (Hina) - Croatian parliament president Vlatko Pavletic on Tuesday held talks with his Iranian counterpart Natek Nouri focusing on political, economic and parliamentary cooperation between the two countries. Pavletic is at the head of a Croatian parliamentary delegation on a five-day visit to Iran. "The aim of the visit is to get better acquainted with the situation in Iran and the people who make important decisions for the country, as well as for the whole region," Pavletic said after the talks. He pointed out that in 1993 Croatia and Iran had a better exchange of commodities than at present, and that the improvement of economic cooperation was one of the main topics of today's talks. An agreement may soon be signed on Croatia's building ships for Iran, Pavletic said, adding the talks also tackled cooperation in the pharmaceutical industry. Speaking about Croatia's interest for cooperation with Iran, Pavletic said Iran was a country increasingly opening to the world and trying to find the best solutions for preserving its independence and identity, while simultaneously attracting foreign investments and partners to expedite economic development. The Croatian parliamentary president also said that Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Harazi had invited his Croatian counterpart Mate Granic to visit Iran for talks on the most concrete aspects of cooperation and the improvement of bilateral relations. After the talks with Nouri, Pavletic met the Iranian Foreign Minister. Harazi said he and Pavletic discussed bilateral, regional and multilateral issues, particularly globalisation. Also tackled was trilateral cooperation among Croatia, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Globalisation is unavoidable and welcome, said Harazi while speaking about Iran's foreign policy, but added his country was against some countries imposing their will on others. Iran wants the establishment of a global civil society where the rights of every nation will be respected and which will be based on genuine cooperation among countries, Harazi said. He also advocated greater understanding and rapprochement among different cultures, without cases of one culture forcing its values on others. Today Pavletic also held a lecture on Croatia's past and future and the role of the Croatian national parliament at the International Research Institute in Teheran. Speaking about the history of the Croatian people, Pavletic pointed out to numerous evidence towards its Iranian origin. He mentioned the 2,520-year-old inscription on a rock in Bogostan which among 23 peoples mentions Croats as subjects of Darius the Emperor. Pavletic also spoke about the most recent events in Croatia's history and the creation of the Croatian state. He pointed out Croatia holds a high position among 26 countries in transition, a position earned with the stability of its political and monetary system and a series of promising industry branches. Earlier today, Pavletic laid a wreath at the grave of Iran's founder and leader of the Islamic revolution, Homeini, and signed the book of impressions. (hina) ha