CROATIAN FINANCE MINISTER MEETS BRITISH TRADE MINISTER IN LONDON

LONDON, Dec 1 (Hina)- Finance Minister Borislav Skegro on Tuesday met British Minister of Trade and Industry Peter Mandelson in London to discuss future Croatian power projects. Top on Mandelson's agenda was the mode and the terms of a future tender for the construction of a power plant on the Croatian Adriatic coast, which provoked keen interest of two British manufacturers of power equipment, Skegro told the press after the meeting. British power plant producers Alstom and PowerGen expressed interest in the plan of the Croatian Power Supply envisaging the construction of a power plant (2 x 350 MW) at a still undetermined location close to the Adriatic coast. Mandelson confirmed to Skegro that the British agency for safeguarding of export loans, ECGD, stands by its assessment of Croatia's credit rating as stable. In June 1998, ECGD reduced the collateral rate and risk premium for export projects involving Croatia. Speaking about the relations between Croatia and the EU, Mandelson expressed Britain's assurances about its full commitment to the goals of the forthcoming international conference on reconstruction and development of the war devastated Croatian areas. (hina) mm mr/rml