ZAGREB, Feb 1 (Hina)- Croatia's Foreign Minister Tonino Picula and the president of the Russian parliament (Duma), Genadiy Seleznyov, on Thursday discussed the strengthening of the two countries' relations, particularly economic ones,
the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Seleznyov arrived in Zagreb for a two-day visit at the head of a Russian parliamentary delegation on Tuesday. At today's meeting at the Croatian foreign ministry, Seleznyov informed Croatian officials about the problem of Russia's foreign debt, including a debt to former Yugoslav states, including Croatia. The Russian policy is oriented toward building and keeping peace in south-east Europe and Russia is equally interested in establishing good relations with all former Yugoslav states, the statement quoted Seleznyov as saying. He pointed to Russia's trade with Slovenia, which amounted to US$500 million, which is ten times more than its trade w
ZAGREB, Feb 1 (Hina)- Croatia's Foreign Minister Tonino Picula and
the president of the Russian parliament (Duma), Genadiy Seleznyov,
on Thursday discussed the strengthening of the two countries'
relations, particularly economic ones, the Foreign Ministry said
in a statement.
Seleznyov arrived in Zagreb for a two-day visit at the head of a
Russian parliamentary delegation on Tuesday.
At today's meeting at the Croatian foreign ministry, Seleznyov
informed Croatian officials about the problem of Russia's foreign
debt, including a debt to former Yugoslav states, including
Croatia.
The Russian policy is oriented toward building and keeping peace in
south-east Europe and Russia is equally interested in establishing
good relations with all former Yugoslav states, the statement
quoted Seleznyov as saying.
He pointed to Russia's trade with Slovenia, which amounted to
US$500 million, which is ten times more than its trade with Croatia
(worth US$50 million), and announced a better cooperation between
the Russian and Croatian chambers of commerce. He also offered
better cooperation in all fields of economy.
Picula informed his guest about the importance Croatia's foreign
policy attached to Croatia's relations with the Russian
Federation.
Croatia wants to have good bilateral relations with the Russian
Federation and improve its cooperation with Russia in multilateral
organisations, he said.
The Russian official arrived in Zagreb from Ljubljana and continues
his journey with a visit to Belgrade.
Commenting on relations between Croatia and Yugoslavia, Picula
said Croatia was ready to discuss all open issues but it believed
that responsibility for initiating the resolution of problems
rested with Belgrade and the new Yugoslav and Serbian authorities.
He also informed Seleznyov about Croatia's ambitious economic
wishes - to raise mutual trade to one billion US dollars annually as
soon as possible, and to host at least 100,000 Russian tourists this
year already.
Picula warned about the economic and political importance of the
potential of only one project: the linking of the Adriatic oil
pipeline with Russia's oil pipeline.
(hina) rml