SPAIN, CROATIA SIGN THREE AGREEMENTS

MADRID, 21 July (Hina) - Spain and Croatia signed three bilateral agreements in Madrid on Monday. The agreements - on stimulation and mutual protection of investment, on cultural, education and scientific cooperation and on air traffic- were signed at the end of an official visit of a Croatian state delegation led by Premier Zlatko Matesa. #L# The agreement on stimulation and mutual protection of investment was signed by the Croatian Economy Minister Nenad Porges and the Spanish state secretary for trade, tourism and small and medium-sized companies, Jose Manuel Norniello. The agreement on cultural, education and scientific cooperation and the agreement on air traffic were signed by the Croatian Ambassador to Madrid, Sergej Morsan, and the Spanish Ambassador to Zagreb, Luis Felipe de la Pena. The signing ceremony, held in the Spanish Foreign Ministry, was also attended by Croatian Assistant Foreign Minister Frane Krnic and Spain's state secretary for foreign affairs and European Union, Ramon de Miguel. Premier Matesa and his counterpart Jose Maria Aznar stated that the agreements would improve the economic cooperation between the two countries. At the end of their visit to Madrid, Premier Matesa and Economy Minister Porges met with Spain's Vice Premier and Economy Minister Rodrigo Rato and discussed with him concrete forms of improving economic ties between Croatia and Spain. With the agreements signed today, Croatia and Spain have signed five agreements. Two agreements - on road traffic and cooperation in tourism - were signed three years ago, during a visit of the Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic to Spain. (hina) rm 211852 MET jul 97