PICULA: CROATIA, ESTONIA HAVE GREAT POSSIBILITIES FOR COOPERATION

ZAGREB, May 22 (Hina) - Estonia and Croatia have no open issues, and there are many open possibilities for cooperation, especially in the economy, Croatia's Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said in Zagreb on Monday. Earlier today, Picula and Estonia's counterpart Toomas Hendrik Ilves signed agreements on visa revocation and readmission. According to Picula, Estonia "is one of the most advanced countries in transition, which belongs to the closest circle of countries which can count on accessing the EU (European Union) in the foreseeable future." "The signing of (today's two) agreements marks the beginning of new relations between the Republic of Croatia and Estonia," Picula told reporters. "It is to be expected that a dynamic economy in progress, like Estonia's, will show more interest in goods an services which Croatian can offer," he said. Voicing satisfaction with the agreements signed today, Estonia's Foreign Minister Ilves said they "will improve travelling between the two countries, which will result in progress in other fields as well." "We are very interested in strengthening economic ties between our two countries, and I believe it would be best to start with tourism," Ilves said, adding a decision on the revocation of visas would make a great contribution in this respect. (hina) ha mm