CROATIAN ECONOMY MINISTER RECEIVES GERMAN BUSINESS DELEGATION

ZAGREB, March 25 (Hina) - The Croatian Minister of Economy, Davor Stern, on Monday received a delegation of the German Ministry of Economy and a group of German business people who had arrived in Zagreb for two-day visit. Stern said that Croatia attached great importance to the visit and hoped that these talks would open new possibilities of economic cooperation between the two countries. Germany is Croatia's major business partner. Last year the commodity exchange between the two countries totalled USD 2.5 billion or 22 percent more in comparison to 1994 figures. Germany is the leading investor in the Croatian economy with DM 538 billion worth of investments last year. Both sides agreed that the two countries should take advantage of good relations in all areas, including political, cultural and economic. Certain misunderstandings that had recently arisen, such as the Mostar issue, were a matter of the past, said the head of the Economy Ministry's division for southeastern Europe, Rainer Lucas. (hina) vm 252126 MET mar 96