CROATIAN PM FOR SLOVENE TV STATION ON ECOLOGICAL AND FISHING ZONE

LJUBLJANA, Oct 9 (Hina) - In an exclusive interview to Slovenia's commercial TV station POP-TV, aired on Thursday evening, Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan said that the Croatian parliament's decision to proclaim an ecological and fishing zone in the Adriatic was not directed against Slovenia or connected to open border issues. #L# Racan said that the decision, which would be put on hold for a year, left plenty of room for talks for which Croatia was ready. "In this one year many things will be cleared up and come into place," said Racan adding that the adopted measures would have "a limited effect" at the time when Croatia joined the EU, therefore they would in no way be detrimental to Slovenia. Racan reiterated that Croatia did not prejudge the sea border by expanding its jurisdiction in the Adriatic, as believed in Slovenia. He also said the decision on the ecological and fishing zone did not refer to open border issues with Slovenia. "Those issues are not being solved now. I hope they can be solved with an agreement, or with arbitration," Racan said The interview was aired in a political magazine dedicated exclusively to Croatia-Slovenia relations. Slovene Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, who is currently abroad, also participated in the programme over the phone. Rupel said he advocated a national consensus on changes to the Slovene Maritime Code, which would "adjust the situation to the initialled Drnovsek-Racan agreement", which he said confirmed Slovenia's right to access to the open sea. (hina) it