"I believe that the European Commission's proposal should be accepted. The proposal takes into account the justified Slovenian wish regarding access to the open seas and also Croatia's wish that 12 policy chapters (negotiating areas) should not be blocked by only one bilateral issue," Frattini said.
Croatia has accepted the latest proposal, made by EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, for the resolution of the Slovenian-Croatian border dispute and for the resumption of its European Union accession negotiations locked in stalemate due to the border row.
Slovenia has suggested some amendments and according to the Slovenian media speculations, changes refer to Ljubljana's insistence on the principle of equity (ex aequo et bono which in Latin stands for "according to the right and good") in efforts to demarcate the sea border.
The entire Europe intends to support both sides. We express solidarity with Slovenia, an EU member, as well as with the justified aspirations of Croatia so that it can finally join the EU in 2010, the Italian minister said adding that Italy was in permanent contact with both countries in a bid to find a solution to the issue.