CROATIA'S GRANIC HOLDS TALKS IN BRAZIL ( Editorial: --> 2483 )

( Editorial: --> 2483 ) BRASILIA, Nov 20 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic held talks with Brazil's Deputy President Marco Antonio de Oliveir Maciel in Brasilia on Thursday. The talks focused on possibilities of developing relations between Croatia and Brazil. "Brazil accepts Croatia as a sovereign, modern European country which has significant economic perspectives," Granic said after the talks. We not only discussed possibilities of political and economic cooperation, but also cooperation in the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking, as well as cooperation in science and culture, Granic said. Granic also held talks with the Brazilian Senate's Foreign Affairs and National Security Committee deputy chairman, Romeu Tuma, and with the Brazilian House of Representatives' National Security Committee chairman, Benito Gama. In general terms, the meeting with Maciel and other high officials confirm the very friendly relations between Croatia and Brazil, Granic said. He added that Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardos had again been invited to visit Croatia, which had been accepted. Other high ranking Brazilian officials, including the Brazilian foreign minister, are expected to visit Croatia next year. Other members of the Croatian delegation also held a number of meetings with Brazilian officials about expanding economic cooperation, trade and development of political relations between the two countries. Participants in the talks agreed that there were great opportunities for expanding economic cooperation between Croatia and Brazil, as well as cooperation in the pharmaceutical, ship- building and transport industries. (hina) lm jn 201942 MET nov 97