LJUBLJANA, March 1 (Hina) - Slovene Foreign Minister has described the Slovene-Croatian relations as good, and expressed his belief that open issues "will solve themselves" within the integration of the two neighbours into
EuroAtlantic institutions.
LJUBLJANA, March 1 (Hina) - Slovene Foreign Minister has described
the Slovene-Croatian relations as good, and expressed his belief
that open issues "will solve themselves" within the integration of
the two neighbours into EuroAtlantic institutions. #L#
"We are halfway in the transitional period. When Croatia becomes an
EU member, it will share, together with us, the same values, and
then the things, will, I believe, solve themselves," Dimitrij Rupel
said in an interview with the Maribor-based "Vecer" paper.
He added that there were actually no major disputes between Zagreb
and Ljubljana.
According to him, political tensions in the bilateral relations
last year were created when Croatia abandoned a border agreement.
With regard to the Ljubljanska Bank problem he added that his
country had produced "all the necessary documentation" for the
arbitration to the International Monetary Fund, but that it was
possible that some other solution might be found, although Slovenia
was still insisting that the issue should be solved pursuant to the
territorial principle for the return of deposits to bank clients.
Commenting on the forthcoming referendum at which Slovenes should
vote on the country's entry into NATO, the foreign minister said in
case voters were against Slovenia's admission into the alliance,
this would diminish the country 'international rating by 40
percent.
He refuted a possibility for resigning from office in case of the
negative outcome of the referendum, scheduled for 23 March.
(hina) ms