SALZBURG ECONOMIC SUMMIT DISCUSSES FOREIGN INVESTMENTS

SALZBURG, July 8 (Hina) - An economic summit of Central and Eastern European countries, taking place in the Austrian city of Salzburg, on Monday focused on direct foreign investments, incentives to the development of small and medium-size enterprises, and prospects for reforms. The meeting was also attended by a Croatian delegation, including Assistant Foreign Minister Spomenka Cek. Although there was not much talk about Croatia, during a discussion on investment prospects it was said that Croatia was a promising country in which it was worth investing, Cek told reporters. A representative of Austria's "Creditanstalt Investment Banking" praised good results of Croatian monetary and fiscal policies, and noted that a good relationship between the central bank and commercial banks was not only important for the country itself but also for foreign investors, Cek said. The afternoon part of the summit focused on regional security. All participants except those from Russia stressed the need for NATO's expansion. (hina) vm 082136 MET jul 96