ZAGREB, Sept 1 (Hina) - The Croatian government will not react to the latest attacks from Slovenia today, while the foreign ministry will most likely define its stand on Tuesday, after Ljubljana has officially notified Zagreb, a
source at the government said on Monday.
ZAGREB, Sept 1 (Hina) - The Croatian government will not react to
the latest attacks from Slovenia today, while the foreign ministry
will most likely define its stand on Tuesday, after Ljubljana has
officially notified Zagreb, a source at the government said on
Monday. #L#
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said the diplomatic
corps was likely to be convened at the foreign ministry in the
coming days to be briefed about Croatia's standpoints.
Earlier today, Slovene Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said his
Croatian counterpart Tonino Picula's claims that Slovenia did not
have access to the open sea and that a border deal was legally
invalid were "unacceptable" and could deteriorate relations
between the two countries.
Rupel went on to say that Slovenia might reconsider its support to
Croatia's bids to join the European Union and NATO.
The source at the Croatian government said the government had been
"unpleasantly surprised by the unfounded, tactless and radically
quarrelsome tone of Slovene Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel's
statements".
The Croatian government "wishes to believe that this is not the
stance of the Slovene government, and the Croatian government
doesn't want to participate in such a quarrel," said the source. It
added the proclamation of an economic zone in the Adriatic was a
matter for serious discussion, something Slovenia had been
refusing for the past two months by offering talks at the expert
level or a row.
(hina) ha sb