CONDITIONS FOR TRANSPORT OF OIL TO SERBIA ARE VERY GOOD - PORGES

ZAGREB, Nov 8 (Hina) - There is nothing contentious in the transmission of oil through the Adriatic pipe line for Serbia, Croatian Economy Minister Nenad Porges told Hina on Monday, commenting on articles in the Croatian media on the possible transmission of oil to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia by Croatian tankers and the pipeline. This is not an emotional or political, but an economic issue which is endorsed with very good financial conditions, Porges said. "On July 11, 1996, Croatia signed an agreement with the Serbian Oil Industry as part of the normalisation process (between the two countries), which also stipulates the use of the Adriatic pipeline (JANAF), under very favourable conditions, of, as I recall, nine dollars per a tonne of oil," Porges said. According to his estimates, at the time of the signing of the agreement, it was agreed that around one and a half million tonnes of oil be transported to Serbia via Croatia, " and this year the total amount will not exceed 900,000 tonnes." The transport of Libyan oil to Serbia via JANAF (according to some Croatian dailies, the amount mentioned is 100,000 to 500,000 tonnes), is not only contentious, but is also economically justified and welcome". "This is not a question of emotions, and even less of politics," Porges said. The Adriatic pipeline is technically envisaged for the transport of 34 million tonnes of oil, Porges said. "Considering its current condition, its objective capacity is around 15 million tonnes, and with certain investments and technical corrections, maybe 20 million tonnes, currently, this amount does not exceed six to seven million tonnes," he said, stressing that there is not one single reason for JANAF not to be even more, commercially utilised. (hina) lml jn/sp