LJUBLJANA, Jan 10 (Hina) - Italy's Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, Roberto Antonione, has said everything should be done to avoid the forthcoming enlargement of the European Union affecting countries that remained outside the
expansion process, including Croatia.
LJUBLJANA, Jan 10 (Hina) - Italy's Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs,
Roberto Antonione, has said everything should be done to avoid the
forthcoming enlargement of the European Union affecting countries that
remained outside the expansion process, including Croatia.#L#
"We must develop special forms of cooperation with those countries,
and here I have in mind particularly Croatia, which will be given the
role of a neighbouring country of the Union," Antonione said in an
interview with the Maribor-based Vecer newspaper published on
Saturday.
Antonione, who is responsible for relations with Slovenia and Western
Balkan countries in the government of Silvio Berlusconi, reiterated
the critical view of the Italian government towards the ecological and
fishing zone in the Adriatic Sea declared by Croatia.
"Here we share Slovenia's view. It was an unacceptable initiative. I
hope the new Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader accepts the idea that
such problems must be dealt with by all coastal countries together,
including Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania
and Italy. Should Zagreb insist on the ecological and fishing zone, it
would lose other benefits and would not achieve the desired result,"
Antonione said.
Antonione went on to say he fully supported the so-called Illy
initiative aimed at promoting ties between regions of Italy, Austria,
Slovenia and Croatia.
(Hina) vm