CROATIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES SLOVENE PRIME MINISTER

ZAGREB, Feb 7 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman met on Monday with Slovene Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek, who headed the Slovene delegation at talks with Croatian Prime Minister Nikica Valentic and Croatian Government officials earlier today, said the President's office in a statement. The talks were also attended by Prime Minister Valentic and the Foreign Ministers of Croatia and Slovenia, Mate Granic and Lojze Peterle respectively. Prime Ministers Drnovsek and Valentic informed President Tudjman about today's talks and agreements they had signed. The two prime ministers hold that the meeting was a big step forward towards establishing closer ties between the two countries, building up confidence and achieving cooperation, particularly in trade. However, some issues, such as borders and Ljubljanska banka, remain to be solved. Settlement of all those issues is expected in near future, said the statement. President Tudjman and Prime Minister Drnovsek also talked about the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina and possibilities of solving the crisis in former Yugoslavia, the statement concluded. 071543 MET feb 94