CROAT, SLOVENIAN OFFICIALS CONSIDER SLOVENIAN CROATS' POSITION

POSITION $ ZAGREB, Sept 5 (Hina) - A Croatian delegation led by a Deputy Immigration Minister, Josip Juras, on Friday held talks with Slovenian government officials on ties between the two countries and on the position of Croatians in Slovenia. The Croatian government delegation arrived in Slovenia on Thursday for a two-day official visit. On Thursday, the delegation consisting of immigration and foreign ministries' officials met representatives of the federation of Croatian societies in Slovenia. On Friday, the Slovenian state secretary for economic relations, Vojka Ravbar, received Josip Juras and other members of the Croatian delegation. They discussed an agreement on the free trade zone between the two neighbouring countries, problems about the joint nuclear power plant 'Krsko', joint investment and other issues. After that Croatian officials met Peter Winkler, the director of the Slovenian Government's office for nationalities and Dominika Marolt, an assistant to the director of the Government's office for refugees and immigration. Juras said that Croatians who are members of the Croatian federation and societies in Slovenia, expressed satisfaction with relations with the Slovenian government and national institutions, although it was still necessary to improve their position as a community. The Croatian delegation was told that the Slovenian Government had already ensured financial means for this purpose. The Croatian officials and the Slovenian state secretary for labour, family and social welfare, Natasa Belopalovic, also considered the position of Croatians in Slovenia and Slovenians in Croatia. (hina) jn mš 052004 MET sep 97