CROATIAN AND BOSNIAN BUSINESSMEN HOLD TALKS IN ZAGREB

ZAGREB, Oct 21 (Hina) - Representatives of 16 Croatian companies and 11 companies of the Tuzla-Podrinje Canton, northeastern Bosnia, met in Zagreb on Tuesday for talks on broadening economic cooperation in chemical and related industries between the two countries. Bosnian businessmen talked with the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK) Industrial Sector's director, Mira Lenardic, who is also the co-chairwoman of the interchamber committee for the Croatian and Bosnian cooperation, and the secretary of the chemical industry's association, Nikola Cabrajac, the HGK said in a statement. "Following a series of meetings between representatives of timber and wood and metal manufacturing industries, and their joint presentations at fairs and exhibitions, the talks between the chemical industries' representatives are also a contribution to the improvement of results in the foreign trade between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lenardic said. In the first eight months of 1997, Bosnia was the third partner in Croatia's foreign trade, whereas in 1996, it was on the fourth place. In 1996, the commodity exchange between the two countries was worth U.S. $ 611 million dollars, when Croatia exported U.S.$ 548 million worth of goods in and imported 63 million worth of goods from Bosnia, she said adding that it did not reflect real possibilities of the two economies. However, the commodity exchange in the first eight months of this year showed the trend of an increase in the trade. Croatian export-oriented firms such as the 'INA Petrokemija Kutina', 'Polimeri' and 'Pliva', were interested in the import of coal, salts, and coke from Bosnia, Cabrajac said. After the plenary meeting, businessmen have resumed separate talks. (hina)jn mš 211604 MET oct 97