CROATIA TO SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENTS WITH SOUTH AFRICAN REPUBLIC

REPUBLIC $ PRETORIA, Nov 16 (Hina) - The first official visit of Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic to the Republic of South Africa, to which he arrived on Saturday, has three aims: establishing political cooperation with the most influential country in Africa south of the Sahara, initiating economic cooperation with Pretoria and meeting with the Croatian emigrant community which numbers some 8,500 people. #L# "This is the first official visit to the South African Republic. Croatia has significant political and economic interests for developing good relations with S.A. because it is the most significant country south of the Sahara," Granic said upon arrival to South Africa. "We will primarily concentrate on the development of economic cooperation. Two agreements will be signed; on educational, cultural, scientific and sports cooperation, as well as an agreement on avoiding double taxation," Granic added. "There is also a third significant component, which is the presence of a Croatian colony, a very organized and strong one," Granic said, adding that one day of his visit will be reserved for meeting the Croatian community in the Republic of South Africa. Granic will on Sunday be present at the opening of the Croatian embassy in Pretoria. The Republic of South Africa is expected to open an embassy in Zagreb next year. Granic is also to meet the South African Foreign minister, Alfred B. Nzo, and heads of the South African Development Community (SADC). The present trade between Croatia and South Africa is relatively little. The Republic of South Africa has exported about 3 million dollars-worth of goods into Croatia, and imported over 5 million dollars-worth of goods from Croatia. On the last day of his visit to S.A., Granic is to meet officials of the political life of S.A. (hina) lm 161153 MET nov 96