PICULA: THIS IS SAD PERIOD IN CROATIAN-SLOVENE RELATIONS

LJUBLJANA/ZAGREB, Sept 6 (Hina) - The current state of relations between Croatia and Slovenia is sad and one should do all to make it only a short unpleasant episode, Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula has said in an interview with Maribor's "Vecer" daily. #L# Commenting on tensions in relations between Zagreb and Ljubljana, Picula reiterated Croatia's official position regarding the sea border and the possible proclamation of an economic zone in the Adriatic, but he denied that Croatia was responsible for the fierce response of Slovene Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel. "I can understand Slovene sensitivity, borders are a touchy issue, but Croatia has the right to proclaim an exclusive economic zone. We could have done it five or ten years ago," Picula said adding that discussions on this issue have been held for some time. "Now is the right time because the European Commission has offered a new framework for the protection of the Mediterranean through an action to protect its environment, since the regime of open seas leads to the destruction of the Mediterranean, including the Adriatic," Picula said. Commenting on sea border demarcation, Picula said that there had been no agreement between Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan and former Slovene Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek, to which Slovene politicians repeatedly refer, stressing its "political importance". "There was no agreement and the situation has not changed, which is why Croatia has been abiding by the international maritime law," he said when asked if the said agreement was a compromise to grant Slovenia access to the open sea. Asked if Croatia's declaring an economic zone in the Adriatic would mean "unilateral" demarcation of the border, Picula said that Zagreb accepted arbitration in establishing the sea border. He believes that there is no need to exaggerate problems in bilateral relations and that Croatia will not worsen the current tensions nor recall its ambassador in Ljubljana to Zagreb for consultations. "I do not claim that all my statements are ideal, but we have decided not to respond to every Slovene move," he said, adding that the Croatian ambassador to Ljubljana was doing his job although he was not invited to briefings for foreign diplomats. "This policy on the part of Ljubljana has not sent us lobbying across Europe, which is what my colleague Rupel has been doing, travelling from east to west. This is a sad period both for Slovenia and Croatia. It would be good to do something to make it only a brief, unpleasant episode," Picula said. (hina) rml