LJUBLJANA, Sept 17 (Hina) - By denying Slovenia's right to have access to the open sea, Croatia is attempting to redefine its role in the region and its relationship to Slovenia, Slovene Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said on
Wednesday speaking to members of the Slovene parliament's foreign policy committee.
LJUBLJANA, Sept 17 (Hina) - By denying Slovenia's right to have
access to the open sea, Croatia is attempting to redefine its role
in the region and its relationship to Slovenia, Slovene Foreign
Minister Dimitrij Rupel said on Wednesday speaking to members of
the Slovene parliament's foreign policy committee. #L#
The committee will convene for a special session to discuss
relations with Croatia in the coming period, the state news agency
STA has reported.
Recent statements and documents sent from Zagreb to Brussels are a
sign that Croatia wishes to redefine its role in Southeast Europe
and its relationship towards Slovenia, Rupel said.
By doing so, he said, Croatia wants to marginalise the other ex-
Yugoslav countries and question Slovenia's access to the open sea.
"Croatia is thus challenging Slovenia's succession rights because
we had access to the open sea in the former federation," Rupel
said.
He added that yesterday's meeting between representatives of
Croatia's and Slovenia's foreign ministries in Smarjeske Toplice
did not bring about anything significantly new.
(hina) rml