ZAGREB, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- Croatian President Zoran Milanovic emphasized the energy cooperation between Croatia and Hungary on Saturday, saying that space is open for continued bilateral energy cooperation.

He made the statement after visiting Hungary on Friday, where he held talks with his Hungarian counterpart, Tamas Sulyok, and Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

On Facebook, Milanovic described their talks as "very meaningful and useful," which covered global issues and the problem of the temporarily disrupted energy cooperation between the two sides.

Hungary's state-owned oil and gas company, MOL, has tried to acquire a stake in the Croatian oil pipeline operator Janaf, but the Croatian government rejected the proposal, according to local media reports.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has accused Janaf of exploiting the Ukrainian crisis and imposing a "war surcharge" on crude oil delivered to Hungary. However, the claim has been categorically rejected by Janaf.

Admitting that the two countries have different positions on their energy cooperation, Milanovic said he had explained to Orban the Croatian position on the role of Janaf, which runs part of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline transporting natural gas to Europe from Azerbaijan.

Calling Janaf a "strategically important energy infrastructure" not only for Croatia but also for neighbouring countries, the Croatian President said Janaf can and wants to be a reliable partner, underlining that "after our conversation, additional space has been opened for an agreement on energy cooperation that will benefit both Croatia and Hungary."

Meanwhile, Janaf and MOL have engaged in energy cooperation negotiations, as both countries have emphasized their long-standing partnership and the importance of regional energy security.