CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER LEAVES FOR BAVARIA ( Editorial: --> 0478 )

( Editorial: --> 0478 ) ZAGREB, Nov 13 (Hina) - A Croatian government delegation headed by Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa left for the German state of Bavaria on Thursday for a day-long visit during which they would meet local officials for talks on economic issues. The Croatian delegation, including Reconstruction and Development Minister Jure Radic and Economy Minister Nenad Porges, was scheduled to meet Bavarian Prime Minister Edmund Stoiber. During talks with the Minister of Economy, Transport and Technology, Otto Wiesheu, an agreement between the Croatian road company "Hrvatske Ceste" and Bavaria's "Walter Bau AG" would be signed. After Italy, Croatia's main business partner is Germany, with most of the trade accounting for Bavaria. "We are now beginning a new form of cooperation, direct investments," Matesa told reporters at Zagreb airport, noting that the agreement that would be signed referred to the construction of a Krapina-Macelj motorway and a bridge at Dubrovnik. Croatian and Bavarian officials were also expected to continue talks on a motorway connecting Bosiljevo and the Sveti Rok tunnel, as "the last section that will link Split and Zagreb on the existing route," Matesa said. (hina) vm 131151 MET nov 97