SLOVENE MINISTER ON 3 CONDITIONS FOR CRO CO-OWNING NUCLEAR PLANT

LJUBLJANA, Nov 21 (Hina) - A meeting tackling the signing of an agreement on the Krsko nuclear power plant between Croatia and Slovenia will be held next week, Slovene Economy Minister Metod Dragonja said on Friday. The meeting will be held as agreed by the Croatian and Slovene Premiers at their last informal meeting in Mokrice. Built by joint Croatian-Slovene funds at the time of the former Yugoslav federation, the Krsko plant, located on Slovene territory, has been the cause of disagreement between Croatia and Slovenia with regard to plant management and the price of electricity, and the question whether Croatia co-owns or invests in the plant. According to Dragonja, Slovenia would like the Krsko agreement to be based on co-investing and not ownership. He pointed out however, that Slovenia was willing to consent to co- ownership under three conditions. The first is that Croatia at once pay a contribution to pull down the plant, the second that Croatia take part in modernising the plant by purchasing new steam generators, and the third that Croatia take the plant's radioactive waste. Dragonja said the co-ownership relations had changed and were no longer divided in half due to uncovered losses and redemption. He added Croatia had to re-establish the ownership symmetry. (hina) ha