CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT BRAZIL AND VENEZUELA ( Editorial: --> 1741 )

( Editorial: --> 1741 ) ZAGREB, Nov 18 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic will fly to Brazil and Venezuela on Tuesday for a several-day official visit. He is the first senior Croatian official to visit these two south American countries with which Croatia would like to promote bilateral relations. According to the Croatian Foreign Ministry, Croatia attaches special importance to the development of economic relations with Brazil and Venezuela. Trade between Croatia and these two countries is modest and there is room for its increase. Croatian expatriates living in Brazil and Venezuela represent a bridge of cooperation between Croatia and the two South American countries. According to some estimates, about 30,000 people of Croatian origin live in Brazil and about 10,000 are in Venezuela. Granic will begin his visit to Brazil by talks with Brazilian Foreign Minister Luis Felipe Palmeir Lampreia on Wednesday. On Sunday Granic will fly to Venezuela. (hina) mš 181545 MET nov 97