MESIC:CROATIA IS CERTAINLY WILLING TO SOLVE OPEN ISSUES WITH SLOVENIA

LJUBLJANA, March 17 (Hina) - All open issues in the relations between Slovenia and Croatia can be solved soon if both parties are willing (to settle them), Croatia's President Stipe Mesic told the Slovenian Television on Friday night. Croatia is certainly willing, and I hope the same can be applied for Slovenia, Mesic said in an interview he granted to the Slovenian Television ahead of his state visit to Ljubljana on March 19 and 20. Mesic's travel to Slovenia is his first official visit abroad since he assumed the post of Croatian President. According to him, Zagreb and Ljubljana cooperated very well during the process of the two countries' gaining independence. Subsequently the cooperation reached a stalemate, but since recently a positive atmosphere has been created. Mesic pointed to the Croatia and Slovenian joint orientation towards admission into EuroAtlantic structures, the necessity to be linked by motorways and to their complementary economies. Asked to assess most significant results since he was inaugurated as Croatian President, Mesic said a lot had been done: the President's Office has been reconstructed and a commission for amendments to the Constitution has been set up. He reiterated his stand that the system of authorities should be concentrated in the national parliament, whereas the President of the Republic should have powers of the supreme commander of the armed forces and be a co-creator of Croatia's foreign policy. The first day of his stay on Sunday is an unofficial and private part of the visit. Mesic will attend the finals in the World Cup Ski Jumping on Mount Planica and in the evening he will take part in a political and satirical show in the Ljubljana puppet theatre. On Monday he will hold official talks with Slovene President Milan Kucan, Premier Janez Drnovsek and other senior officials. (hina) ms