BLED, Oct 30 (Hina) - Slovenia and Croatia will continue to develop friendly relations, they will solve open issues through agreements, and exchange information regarding bids to join Euro-Atlantic associations, Croatian and Slovene
delegations, led by foreign ministers Tonino Picula and Dimitrij Rupel respectively, concluded in Bled on Wednesday.
BLED, Oct 30 (Hina) - Slovenia and Croatia will continue to develop
friendly relations, they will solve open issues through
agreements, and exchange information regarding bids to join Euro-
Atlantic associations, Croatian and Slovene delegations, led by
foreign ministers Tonino Picula and Dimitrij Rupel respectively,
concluded in Bled on Wednesday. #L#
After the talks, the ministers signed a protocol between the two
ministries aimed at developing their cooperation, and which also
envisages a more intensive cooperation and ministerial meetings
every two months, Rupel said.
"Today's meeting was not aimed at summarising this year's events,
but it was rather a meeting of continuity. In this context, I remind
of the obligation we assumed this summer, that Slovenia will help
Croatia accomplish what is our mutual foreign policy goal, meaning
the process and secure entry of Croatia into the circle of
candidates for the European Union, which is a process which
requires not only domestic political forces, but allies as well.
Without them (allies) who have such experiences and have passed
this path we cannot count on overcoming the process in a short
time," Croatia's Picula told reporters after the meeting.
Picula congratulated Slovenia's policy and diplomacy for their
success in approaching Euro-Atlantic associations, and added that
such bilateral meetings were necessary so Croatia could better
prepare its "candidacy for membership in the EU."
The Croatian foreign minister said in the Croatian-Slovene
relations there were many problems but also the will for them to be
solved.
He pointed to good examples in cooperation in economy and tourism
between the two countries, agreements in the areas of foreign and
internal affairs, as well as an agreement on military cooperation
which was to be signed soon.
Rupel said that the relations between the two countries, "despite
some occasional problems," were very good and friendly. He added
that today's meeting also focused on Croatia's Law on
Denationalisation, the plan for the construction of joint border
crossings and the Schengen system of border control after Slovenia
joins the European Union and starts applying these standards.
Picula said they had also tackled new possibilities of Croatian
companies to settle their claims in Slovenia through an agreement.
In reply to a reporter's question about the initialled, but not
signed agreement on the border between Croatia and Slovenia, Rupel
said that his country hoped that the agreement was not dead yet and
that a "right time" would arrive for its application. Picula said
that since there was no border agreement, the issue of the border,
at least a section of it, remained open. This could be solved with a
new agreement or through arbitration, he added.
Both ministers pointed out the significance of continuing good
economic cooperation, with the Slovene side stressing Croatia's
importance as Slovenia's export market and the large presence of
Slovene investment in Croatia.
(hina) lml sb