CROATIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER - STATEMENT

ZAGREB, Jan 16 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman received Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi on Thursday, the President's Office said in a statement. Recalling that Italian President Cossiga had been the first head of state to visit independent Croatia, President Tudjman stressed the importance Croatia attached to its relations with Italy, expressing conviction that Prodi's visit would contribute to their further development. Since Croatia, like Italy, had throughout its history belonged to Central Europe and the Mediterranean, except for a period of time from the First World War to its independence, it was interested in establishing closer links with countries in those regions, Tudjman said, emphasizing the important role Italy played in the establishment of those links. Expressing support for Croatia's admission into intergovernmental institutions, Prodi said that Italy did not intend to push Croatia into the Balkans. The two sides expressed satisfaction with the congruity of their views that they should intensify their overall relations, particularly through joint participation in concrete economic projects. Also attending were Presidential Chief of Staff Hrvoje Sarinic, Foreign Minister Mate Granic, Economy Minister Davor Stern and Croatian Ambassador to Italy Davorin Rudolf, the statement concluded. (hina) vm mm 162026 MET jan 97