GRANIC MEETS BRAZILIAN CROATS ( Editorial: --> 2910 )

( Editorial: --> 2910 ) SAO PAULO, Nov 22 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic met representatives of Croatian immigrants in Brazil on Friday evening. About 40,000 Croats live in Brazil and most of them are in Brazil's southeastern state of Sao Paulo. Croats began to arrive in this largest South American country in the first decades of this century. During Friday's meeting in Sao Paulo Granic and a Croatian delegation were welcomed by representatives of Brazilian Croats' societies and the World Croat Congress. After thanking for the cordial reception, Granic spoke of the links between Croatia and the Croatian Diaspora. He stressed that emigrants had offered great help in the creation of the independent and sovereign Croatia adding that the Croatian government was making great efforts to enable Croatian emigrants to return to their homeland. He told Brazilian Croats that the day was approaching when the Croatian Danube river would be fully reintegrated. On Wednesday Granic began his official visit to Brazil. He held meetings with Brazilian Vice President Marco Antonio de Oliveira Maciel, Foreign Minister Luiz Felipe Lampreia and other senior officials. Granic portrayed his visit to this South American country as very successful. According to him, the talks with Brazilian top officials showed the readiness of the two friendly countries to strengthen their political and economic ties. Brazilian officials are expected to visit Croatia next year. By the Sao Paulo meeting with Brazilian Croats Granic finished the official visit to Brazil and is flying to Venezuela on Sunday. (hina) mš 221126 MET nov 97