CROATIAN PREMIER GRANTS INTERVIEW TO SPANISH DAILY

MADRID, July 21 (Hina) - Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa, who arrived in Madrid + on Sunday for an official visit, granted an interview to a Spanish daily 'ABC' in + its Monday's issue. Matesa spoke about the political and economic situation in his country as + well as about the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina where a Spanish diplomat, Carlos Westendorp, recently assumed the post of the international community's High Representative. Speaking of the Croatian-Spanish ties, Matesa said that he was now paying his third visit to Spain in capacity of a Croatian government member. His first + tour was in 1993 when economic relations between Zagreb and Madrid began to move upward. According to Matesa, this time Croatian and Spanish officials will discus not + only promotion of the economic ties but also the completion of peaceful + reintegration of the Croatian Danube river area, fulfilment of Croatia's obligations under the + Dayton peace accords and relations between Mediterranean countries where Spain being both a Mediterranean country and an EU member-state has an important role. At noon on Monday Spanish King Juan Karlos will receive Matesa, and after that Premier Jose Mario Aznar will hold talks with his Croatian guest. Matesa will meet Spanish Economy Minister Rodrig Rat as well. Other members of a Croatian delegation including Economy Minister Nenad Porges and Chamber of Commerce head, Nadan Vidosevic, will hold several + separate talks with Spanish businessmen. Spain and Croatia are expected to sign three agreements on investment protection and stimulation, on cultural, educational and scientific cooperation+ and on air traffic. (hina) mš 211005 MET jul 97