ROP: ECONOMIC ZONE CAN'T BE DECLARED BEFORE BORDER AGREEMENT IS RATIFIED

LJUBLJANA/MARIBOR, Aug 23 (Hina) - Slovenia believes that Croatia cannot declare an economic zone in the Adriatic until the agreement on the border initialled in 2001 by Croatian Premier Ivica Racan and the then Slovene Premier Janez Drnovsek is signed, Slovene Premier Anton Rop said in an interview for the Maribor-based "Vecer" daily of Saturday. #L# "The border agreement was adopted by the two governments and Croatia needs to ratify it," Rop said, adding that the economic zone could be discussed only once this issue was solved, which he said would open "a set of new questions". Commenting on the issue of Ljubljanska Bank's debt to clients in Croatia, Rop reiterated a proposal that the issue be settled "within the process of succession to the former Yugoslavia". Asked about the Croatian Power Company's claims regarding non- delivered electricity from the Krsko nuclear power plant, Rop said that Slovenia did not refuse talks about the claims, but added that the amount of 54 million dollars claimed by Croatia was excessive. (hina) rml