CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS OUTGOING RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR

ZAGREB, Nov 21 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic on Thursday received the outgoing Russian Ambassador to Croatia, Leonid Kerestedzhiyants, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Granic thanked Kerestedzhiyants for his contribution to the development of good relations between Zagreb and Moscow. The relations between the Republic of Croatia and the Russian Federation were constantly improving, Granic said. The Russian ambassador thanked Granic for his readiness to maintain intensive contacts which had resulted in good relations between the two countries. Granic informed Kerestedzhiyants about the process of peaceful reintegration of UN-administered eastern Croatia. Granic expressed hope that the UNTAES mandate would be successfully completed on the basis of an agreement between Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and UN Transitional Administrator Jacques Klein. (hina) vm 211904 MET nov 96