CROATIAN MPS TALK WITH EU COLLEAGUES

( Editorial: --> 9166 ) BRUSSELS, 3 Feb (Hina)- On Tuesday a delegation of the Croatian MPs discussed with their colleagues from the EU Assembly in Brussels economic issues and Croatia's international relations. In the second part of the working session the EU parliamentarians called for unfreezing of the PFARE programme for Croatia. Speaking about privatization, Greek parliamentarians at the EU Assembly showed keen interest for privatization of agriculture, and the Italian parliamentarian Renzo Imbeni stresed tha Croatia should be accepted to the World Trade Organization (WTO. Croatia's big trade deficit, ammounting to 4 billion US $, was identified a a serious problem. However, the Croatian delegation stressed that thanks to income from tourism the deficit would be reduced to 2 billion US $ and that as the result of a more stable situation Croatia would be attracting foreign investments. In discussions about Croatia's relations with its neighbours, Croatian delegation stressed Croatia was open for all kinds of dialogue and any agreement that would not limit its sovereignity. Croatia is ready to give Slovenia unlimited right of passage on the sea, but will not make any agreement on the maritime border in the Piran bay that would be contrary to international conventions, such as the one that has been requested by Slovenia,said Zarko Domljan in a response to a question by Renzo Imbeni. Hence, Croatia is ready for any kind of arbitration, including that by the European Union, said Domljan. As far as the FRY' territrial aspirations for the southernmost Croatian peninula of Prevlaka is concerned, Perevlaka "just was and still is Croatian territory", stressed Domljan. Croatia is ready to sign an agreement with the FRY on demilitarization of that area and to bring crowds of tourists to Prevlaka, stressed Domljan. Craotia is open to any settlement and concession on the use of the port of Ploce by the BH Federation, but not to give up its sovereignity over Ploce, said Domljan. Responding to questions about franchising of BH Croats for the Croatian Parliament, Antun Vujic said Croatian opposition was against that provision of the election law. Those provisions should be revised so that voting rights would be made conditional on payment of tax. "We in the Oppositon are closely scrutinizing that complex issue", stressed Vujic. Two delegations discussed Mostar, which was described by the Dutch parliamentarian Arie Oostlander as "a disgrace for all of us". Doris Pack asked Croatian MPs to tell the exteremists in Mostar that they lived in the past and expresed hope that reason would prevail there too. Upon instigastion by Doris Pack, who chairs a delegation of the European Parliamentary Assembly for relations with SE Europe, next annual meeting between a delegation of the Croatian National Parliament and the EU assembly has been scheduled for February 1999 in Dubrovnik. (Hina) 032051 MET feb 98