ISRAELI VOLCANI CENTRE DELEGATION ENDS VISIT TO CROATIA

ZAGREB, Sept 19 (Hina) - Croatian Assistant Science and Technology Minister Radovan Fuchs and the director for international cooperation of the Volcani Centre from Israel, Zohara Yaniv, on Friday signed in Zagreb an agreement on the establishment of a joint commission for establishing joint scientific cooperation aimed at improving agriculture. The signing of the agreement marked the end of a week-long working visit the Israeli delegation paid to Croatia at the invitation of the Croatian Science and Technology Ministry. This was the first time an Israeli delegation officially visited Croatia after the two countries recently established full diplomatic relations. During talks both parties pointed out willingness to cooperate on joint projects with which to appear before international financial institutions. Croatian Deputy Science and Technology Minister Nikola Ruzinski said the Israeli delegation made an offer to start a pilot-project on fire prevention in coastal areas by using agricultural methods. The pilot-project should be carried out on one of Croatia's islands. The talks also focused on the establishment of a joint centre of excellence in biotechnology, development projects in viticulture, olive growing and fishing. Expressing gratitude to her hosts for their kind welcome, the head of the Israeli delegation Yaniv pointed out the willingness to cooperate with Croatian institutions in providing additional training and expert courses for young Croatian scientists in the Volcani Centre in the Israeli town of Bet- Dagen. (hina) ha 192232 MET sep 97