CROATIAN AND GERMAN ECONOMY MINISTERS HOLD TALKS ON COOPERATION

( Editorial: --> 4255 ) BONN, Nov 27 (Hina) - Croatian Economy Minister Nenad Porges and his German counterpart Guenter Rexrodt held talks in Bonn on Thursday. After the meeting behind closed doors, Rexrodt said the talks had focused on concrete issues such as Croatia approaching the European Union, concrete cooperation projects between German and Croatian companies, and on the opening of a German business office in Zagreb. He described investments of business people into Croatia as important. Describing the talks as "useful", Porges said his German colleague had pledged further support from Germany regarding Croatia's approaching the European Union. He stressed the purchase of 16 airplanes for Croatia Airlines, the construction of roads in Croatia, and especially cooperation between Croatian and German small and middle-scale companies, as concrete topics. Porges is not concerned with the decrease of Croatian export into Germany, as, according to him, a "distorted picture" was being created regarding the deficit, adding that he and Rexrodt had agreed that trade between the two countries indeed did not meet Croatia's potentials. (hina) lm jn 272137 MET nov 97