MEETING OF CENTRAL EUROPEAN INITIATIVE

TRIESTE, Mar 4 (Hina) - A meeting of foreign ministers of the Central European Initiative began in Trieste this evening. The aim of the meeting is to analyse the activities of the Initiative in the past six months. The meeting was preceded by a session of national co- ordinators which began yesterday. Co-ordinators are still preparing the final document which is to be adopted by the ministers tomorrow. Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic held talks with his Italian counterpart Beniamino Andreatta. They discussed some points of the Osimo Treaty, the issue of minorities and economic relations. The working groups supported Croatia's peace-oriented policy, particularly the preliminary Washington agreement on the federal arrangement of Bosnia-Herzegovina and confederal relations between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia. Ahead of the ministerial meeting, Granic gave an interview to the Italian TV. He said that the Washington agreement was heralded peace in the former Yugoslavia, and that the final version would be ready for signing by 15 March. Commenting on bilateral relations with Italy, Granic said that they were good, but should be developed. In order to implement the Osimo Treaty, it is necessary to settle some points with Slovenia first, said Granic, adding that joint commissions would start work in April, with the view to implementing the Treaty as soon as possible, primarily in the sphere of economy. 042151 MET mar 94