PM: BORDER ISSUES WITH SLOVENIA COULD BE SOLVED THROUGH ADDITIONAL NEGOTIATIONS

ZAGREB, Aug 30 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan said on Friday that problems regarding the catch of fish in Piran Bay could be solved through additional negotiations with Slovenia. Racan said that negotiations could be conducted only as a part of an agreement on cross border trade and cooperation, ratified by both parliaments. #L# At a meeting with representatives of Istria's fishermen, Racan said "the signed agreement represents an international obligation which Croatian must respect," the Croatian government public relations office said in a statement. The talks between Racan and Istria's fishermen were held behind closed doors. After the talks it was reported that fishermen representatives expressed "dissatisfaction and disappointment with the current situation and the escalation of conflicts". They informed Racan of their problems regarding Piran Bay over the past ten years. The prime minister said that the catch of fish in Piran Bay was defined by the Agreement on Cross Border Trade and Cooperation, adopted by the governments and ratified by the parliaments of both countries. "Such an agreement represents an international obligation which Croatia must respect. It is possible to solve problems regarding the catch of fish through additional negotiations," the Prime Minister said and added that negotiations could be held only as a part of the signed agreement, the government said in a statement. On behalf of the government, also present at the talks was the head of the Croatian Foreign Ministry's department for border issues, Olga Kresovic Rogulja. Racan should meet his Slovene counterpart next week. The two premiers are expected to calm tensions between Croatia and Slovenia, caused by the Piran Bay dispute. (hina) it