CRO & GREEK FOREIGN MINISTERS SUPPORT ADRIATIC HIGHWAY PROPOSAL

ATHENS, Nov 24 (Hina) - The Foreign Ministers of Croatia and Greece on Tuesday voiced their support to a proposal for the building of an Adriatic highway, stating they would work towards having the highways become part of European corridors. The highway initiative was one of the central topics of talks between Greece and a Croatian delegation on a three-day visit. Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and Greek Premier Costas Simitis advocated the highway plan and called on all interested parties to join in in a joint statement issued yesterday. The Foreign Ministers, Croatia's Mate Granic and Greece's Theodoros Pangalos, said today the realisation of the highway idea might take some time, but that it was feasible if the highway could be included in European corridors, which would then facilitate financial income. Granic and Pangalos said the foreign and transport ministers of all countries which the Adriatic highway would cross would meet early next year. The countries in question are Greece, Albania, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, and Austria. Granic hoped the meeting would bring some concrete decisions for the realisation of the projects. Granic and Pangalos also discussed bilateral relations, and the situation in the region. Pangalos said Greece was interested in cooperation in the privatisation of major state-owned companies in Croatia, and announced he would notify Greek businessmen. (hina) ha