"It is good that we will discuss that issue in July and that the debate on Croatia is not being postponed for later. There were proposals for a postponement, but we opposed them," Rupel said.
Rupel said the discussion at today's meeting of the Council of Ministers on conclusions regarding Croatia was heated and that the conclusions were the result of a compromise.
Several ministers said Croatia needed more time to meet the remaining condition for the opening of accession talks and that July was too early a deadline, as well as that the Council should stick to Hague tribunal chief prosecutor Carla Del Ponte's assessment that three to four months were needed to see if the Croatian government's action plan to solve the case of runaway general Ante Gotovina was giving concrete results.
Rupel expressed surprise with Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn's position that full cooperation with the Hague tribunal meant the arrest of General Gotovina.
Despite that, the debate about Croatia was not negative, Rupel said, adding that most countries supported Croatia, including Slovenia, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Greece and some other countries which he did not name.
Rupel would not comment on whether the text of the conclusions could be interpreted as a sign to Croatia to hurry with meeting the remaining condition for the start of talks. This is a stalemate which should be overcome and in which process Slovenia wants to help, he said.