CROATIAN & SLOVENE PREMIERS HOLD REGULAR MEETING

ZAGREB/MOKRICE, Nov 13 (Hina) - Croatian-Slovene talks on solving open issues between the two countries are progressing intensively and certain progress has been made, the delegations of the two countries concluded at a working meeting in Mokrice, Slovenia, on Friday. The delegations were headed by Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa and Slovene counterpart Janez Drnovsek, and included the two countries' ministers of foreign affairs, economy, and finance. According to statements issued by the Croatian and Slovene governments, the unofficial meeting was aimed at assessing the current state of relations, discussing progress achieved from the last held meeting, and agreeing on further activities in negotiations. The delegations agreed to continue with talks and try to reach an agreement on open issues as soon as possible. Both sides believe there is sufficient room to reach bilateral agreements, the statements said. The problem of the Krsko nuclear power plant was said to be solvable. Built by joint Croatian-Slovene funds at the time of the former Yugoslavia, the Krsko plant, located on Slovene territory, has been the cause of recent disagreement between Croatia and Slovenia with regard to plant management and establishing the price of electric power, and the fact whether Croatia co-owns or invests into the plant. As regards the DEM 600 million debt of Slovenia's Ljubljanska Bank branch office in Zagreb to Croatian depositors, the two delegations said they would consider conditions of international arbitration. The delegations agreed progress had been made in resolving state border issues, and that talks on the matter would continue. It was also stated an agreement on property-rights relations was not in dispute and would be signed simultaneously with the resolution of open issues. The two Premiers agreed to hold meetings of this kind regularly to resolve open issues as soon as possible. (hina) ha