CROATIAN-MACEDONIAN BUSINESS COMMITTEE ENDS TWO-DAY MEETING

ZAGREB, Nov 6 (Hina) - The Croatian-Macedonian business committee ended a two-day meeting in Zagreb on Wednesday by signing a protocol. The meeting was chaired by Croatian Assistant Economy Minister Slavko Begic and Macedonian Assistant Foreign Minister Erol Hasan. The committee discussed the economic situation in the two countries and the liberalizationa and promotion of trade. In order to boost trade between Croatia and Macedonia, representatives of the two countries decided to start negotiations on a free trade agreement. The prewar trade volume of US$ 660 million dropped to US$ 106 million in 1995, with a tendency to decline further. In the first nine months of this year trade was down 14 per cent compared to the same period last year. (hina) vm jn 061316 MET nov 96