NEW YORK, Jan 19 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Miomir Zuzul said in New York on Sunday that during talks on the border issue with Slovenia, the new Croatian government did not plan to negotiate about ceding Croatian
territory.
NEW YORK, Jan 19 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Miomir Zuzul said
in New York on Sunday that during talks on the border issue with
Slovenia, the new Croatian government did not plan to negotiate about
ceding Croatian territory.#L#
Minister Zuzul and parliament president Vladimir Seks are visiting the
United States at the invitation of the U.S. Congress
Addressing American Croats in New York on Sunday, Zuzul spoke about a
recent meeting with his Slovene counterpart in Zagreb which focused on
the two countries open issues, including the demarcation line in Piran
Bay.
"Neither the government, nor parliament have the right to negotiate
Croatian territory and we did not enter negotiations to do that,"
Zuzul said.
"Who ever thinks that we will be paying for friendship with our own
territory is wrong," Zuzul stressed.
He said that he informed the Slovene side about Croatia's principles
in the negotiations.
The Croatian foreign minister said a step forward had been made but
that Slovene standpoints on Savudrija Bay, namely Piran Bay, were
unacceptable for Croatia because Slovenia insists on an agreement
which former Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan initiated with
Slovene Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek.
Zuzul said that Croatia was clear that it did not wish to act
according to the agreement.
He said that during the talks it was agreed that should the two sides
fail to reach agreement, Croatia and Slovenia would seek international
arbitration.
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