ZAGREB, March 4 (Hina) - President Stipe Mesic will visit the Czech Republic on March 6-7 to meet senior officials and open talks between the two countries' chambers of commerce in which representatives of 13 Croatian companies will
participate. Mesic has been invited by Czech counterpart Vaclav Havel and the visit will focus on the Czech experience in integration with European structures and NATO. Mesic will head a Croatian delegation which will comprise European Integration Minister Ivan Jakovcic, Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communications Minister Alojz Tusek, and Deputy Foreign Minister Vesna Cvjetkovic-Kurelec. Tusek and the Czech Transport and Communications Minister Jaromir Schling are expected to sign an international road transport agreement. Jakovcic and Cvjetkovic-Kurelec will meet the Czech State Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister Pavle Telicka. Next week's visit will be Croatia's fir
ZAGREB, March 4 (Hina) - President Stipe Mesic will visit the Czech
Republic on March 6-7 to meet senior officials and open talks
between the two countries' chambers of commerce in which
representatives of 13 Croatian companies will participate.
Mesic has been invited by Czech counterpart Vaclav Havel and the
visit will focus on the Czech experience in integration with
European structures and NATO.
Mesic will head a Croatian delegation which will comprise European
Integration Minister Ivan Jakovcic, Maritime Affairs, Transport
and Communications Minister Alojz Tusek, and Deputy Foreign
Minister Vesna Cvjetkovic-Kurelec.
Tusek and the Czech Transport and Communications Minister Jaromir
Schling are expected to sign an international road transport
agreement.
Jakovcic and Cvjetkovic-Kurelec will meet the Czech State
Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister Pavle Telicka.
Next week's visit will be Croatia's first to the Czech Republic on
the highest level and is expected to tackle politics and the
economy.
Czech President Havel visited Croatia twice last year, in February
and March.
After years of stagnation, the two countries' bilateral relations
are now good but could be advanced due to the common interest of
integrating into European structures as soon as possible.
The most important topical issues are the signing of a free trade
agreement and the regulation of a clearing debt.
A trade liberalisation task force, composed of Croatian, Czech and
Slovakian representatives held a first round of negotiations on
free trade in Prague in February and all expressed willingness to
step up the negotiations.
Expert groups negotiating the settlement of the clearing debt
should meet in April.
The Czech Republic is Croatia's third tourist-generating market.
(hina) ha