SLOVENE FOREIGN MINISTER ON HIS VISIT TO THE VATICAN

LJUBLJANA/VATICAN, Jan 7 (Hina) - The Holy See would like to see the best possible relations between Slovenia and Croatia, Slovenia's Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said on Wednesday following a visit to the Vatican where he met the new Secretary in charge of relations with States, Giovanni Lajola.#L# Rupel told Slovene reporters that his talks with Vatican officials revolved around Slovenia's relations with the Vatican and with Croatia. Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader is arriving in the Vatican on Thursday. "I do not expect any major breakthrough in relations with Croatia, but I am sure that the ties will improve and that there will be no incidents. The Vatican is interested in seeing the best possible relations between Slovenia and Croatia, which are also important for the regional stability," Rupel said. The main topics of Rupel's talks were Ljubljana's relations with the Holy See and the position of the Roman Catholic Church in Slovenia. Rupel announced that the first agreement between his country and the Vatican would be ratified by the Slovene parliament next month (Hina)