LJUBLJANA, Feb 13 (Hina) - The Slovene government met for a session on Thursday to discuss its policy towards the Iraqi crisis and the criticisms it was exposed to after signing a declaration of the Vilnius (V-10) Group.
LJUBLJANA, Feb 13 (Hina) - The Slovene government met for a session
on Thursday to discuss its policy towards the Iraqi crisis and the
criticisms it was exposed to after signing a declaration of the
Vilnius (V-10) Group. #L#
Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel told reporters after the session
that the declaration of the Vilnius Group allowed "different
interpretations", but in itself was not contrary to Ljubljana's
balanced stand towards the crisis.
"We believe that the Iraqi crisis should be solved within the U.N.,
i.e. the Security Council," Rupel said.
Sociologist Rastko Mocnik, spokesman for a group of Slovene
intellectuals opposing the Vilnius Group declaration and
Slovenia's having joined it, said on Thursday that a petition the
group sent to the government and parliament requesting them to
officially back away from the pro-American declaration had been
signed by 200 people. Mocnik has said new demonstrations against a
war against Iraq will be held in Ljubljana on Saturday. He also
claims that Slovenia should forward a clear message to the
international community that it is backing down from the
declaration.
(hina) rml sb