CROATIA HAS SENT OFFICIAL INVITATION FOR ZAGREB SUMMIT TO SLOVENIA - SPOKESMAN

ZAGREB, Nov 8 (Hina) - Slovenia has been invited to the November 24 summit in Zagreb in the same way as all other countries- participants, and invitations were sent several weeks ago, a Croatian Foreign Ministry spokesman told Hina on Wednesday. The Slovene press agency STA on Tuesday quoted the highest Slovene state officials as saying Slovenia had not received an official invitation to participate in the Zagreb summit. Spokesman Goran Rotim did not want to comment on a statement by Slovene Foreign Minister Lojze Peterle who was quoted by the STA as saying Slovenia was interested in participating in the summit but did not want to be categorised into the western Balkans. A meeting of protocol officials representing countries wishing to attend the Zagreb meeting was held at the Croatian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, Rotim said. These officials included diplomats accredited to Zagreb as well as officials on the level of foreign ministries, including Slovene representatives. According to Rotim, Slovenia is not the only country which still has not sent the exact list of delegations to participate in the summit. The Zagreb summit will be attended by the heads of state and prime ministers of 15 European Union countries, five countries from the Agreement on Stabilisation and Association, as well as delegations from Slovenia and Brussels and three international officials. (hina) jn rml