CROATIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER

ZAGREB, April 18 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman received Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Zagreb on Thursday, the President's Office said in a statement. "The President said that many things had changed since Prime Minister Mohamad last visited Croatia one and a half years ago. With most of the occupied territories now liberated and assurances from the United States, the European Union and the international community that the Danubian area would be successfully reintegtated, conditions were created for the economic and cultural development of Croatia, the President said. The President described relations between Croatia and Malaysia as good, expressing satisfaction with agreements signed today by the governments and business people of the two countries. The implementation of the peace accords in Bosnia- Herzegovina would create conditions for strengthening the Federation and linking it to the Republic of Croatia as well as for cooperation with Europe and Malaysia, the President said. Prime Minister Mohamad supported the process of peaceful reintegration of the Danubian area and the territorial integrity of the states that emerged after the desintegration of the former Yugoslavia. Expressing confidence in better economic ties between the two countries, Prime Minister Mohamad relayed an invitation from the King of Malaysia to the President to visit Malaysia, which he accepted with pleasure. The talks were also attended by Presidential Chief of Staff Ivo Sanader, Economy Minister Davor Stern, Ambassador to Malaysia Kresimir Znidarsic, Head of the President's Cabinet Gordan Radin and Assistant Foreign Policy Adviser Dubravka Pleic-Markovic," the statement said. (hina) vm 182025 MET apr 96