CROATIAN AND BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS HOLD TALKS

ZAGREB, July 30 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic, on Wednesday held talks with his Belgian counterpart Eric Derycke on completion of the process of peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube river area, normalisation of relations between Croatia and Yugoslavia(Serbia/Montenegro), on the peace process in Bosnia- Herzegovina as well as on bilateral ties. Derycke arrived in Zagreb on Wednesday morning on a two-day official visit to Croatia. After the Zagreb meeting with the Belgian Foreign Minister, Granic described their talks as meaningful and friendly and thanked the Belgian government and Belgian battalion for their successful work in eastern Croatia. "We firmly believe that this (UNTAES) will be among most successful UN missions, which will end on 15 January next year with success," Granic said. The two ministers said that the UNTAES military component was expected to decrease to 750 soldiers until 15 August. They pointed out the importance of accelerating the process of the return of the displaced. They said that it was also important that local authorities in the Danube river area assume soon their duties. We would insist on the return of refugees, on the equal treatment of all returnees and on that local authorities take over, Derycke said after the talks with Granic. The Belgian official portrayed the developments in the Danube river area as positive. Commenting on the situation in Bosnia, Granic said that Croatia was at the moment giving the firm support to implementation of Dayton peace agreements and, in particular, to the strengthening of the Bosnian (Croat- Moslem) Federation. He announced that six agreements between Croatia and Yugoslavia would be signed in August. "We continue talks with FR Yugoslavia on economic financial agreements and treaties referring to interior affairs," the Croatian Foreign Minister said. Granic and Derycke said that visas would be soon cancelled between the Benelux member-states and Croatia and agreement signed on double taxation avoidance and on protection and promotion of investment. Granic added that there were now several examples of good economic cooperation between Croatia and Belgium. On Thursday, Derycke will travel to Vukovar and Beli Manastir, the Croatian Danube river area. (hina) mš 301442 MET jul 97