ZAGREB, Feb 19 (Hina) - Almost all participants in a Friday parliamentary discussion on Croatia's relations with neighbouring Slovenia concluded the two countries are friendly ones and must resolve open issues civilly, and not by
straining relations. "Our aim is to solve issues in as calm a way as possible, but also to firmly protect our interests," Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic said in his address. "We have never had a stronger position than today in negotiations with Slovenia", he added, explaining Croatia's arguments were better, while Slovenia was under pressure to resolve open issues because of the European Union. Croatia will agree to arbitration in instances when agreement cannot be reached due to completely opposite views, Granic said, adding Croatia will not consent to arbitration "by rote, but based on opinions of the best international experts." Granic reminded of the
ZAGREB, Feb 19 (Hina) - Almost all participants in a Friday
parliamentary discussion on Croatia's relations with neighbouring
Slovenia concluded the two countries are friendly ones and must
resolve open issues civilly, and not by straining relations.
"Our aim is to solve issues in as calm a way as possible, but also to
firmly protect our interests," Croatian Foreign Minister Mate
Granic said in his address.
"We have never had a stronger position than today in negotiations
with Slovenia", he added, explaining Croatia's arguments were
better, while Slovenia was under pressure to resolve open issues
because of the European Union.
Croatia will agree to arbitration in instances when agreement
cannot be reached due to completely opposite views, Granic said,
adding Croatia will not consent to arbitration "by rote, but based
on opinions of the best international experts."
Granic reminded of the fact that Slovenia was the third country
after Germany and Italy in the entire commodity exchange with
Croatia, that 32 various agreements had been signed with Slovenia,
that many issues had been successfully resolved so far, while other
ones were to be resolved.
"Our aim is to solve through arbitration the Ljubljanska Bank
problem, to solve the Krsko nuclear plant problem through agreement
in the next four to six weeks" and then to sign agreements on these
subjects as well as on property relations, the foreign minister
said.
He added the remaining contentious 0.9 percent of the land border
would be resolved through negotiations.
Speaking about the sea border problem in Piran Bay, Granic said
Croatia refuted Slovenia's views, but would consent to arbitration
as it represented a civilised solution.
Slovenia seeks that Croatia alter its entire sea border to gain
direct access to international waters.
The debate on Croatian-Slovene relations was initiated by the
Croatian Party of Rights whose report, forwarded to parliament last
November, was presented by party president Anto Djapic.
The report brings a very radical view of the two countries'
relations, and objects to the Croatian Foreign Ministry's
insufficient resoluteness in defending Croatian interests.
"Slovenia committed aggression against Croatia in the military,
territorial, and economic sense," the HSP report says, pointing out
that Slovene soldiers are stationed in Sveta Gora, Croatian
territory, that Slovenia usurped Croatian state property, i.e.
Croatia's share of ownership of the Krsko plant, and Croatian
citizens' deposits through Ljubljanska Bank.
Croatia must not be hostage to Slovenia's internal policy
relations, nor to its international position, Djapic said.
Benches of the Istrian Democratic Assembly, the Liberal Party, the
Croatian Peasants' Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the
ruling Croatian Democratic Union objected to the report's
radicalism, and pointed to the fact that Croatia and Slovenia enjoy
and must continue nurturing good relations.
All agree however the border cannot be bargained and that Croatia
must be resolute with regard to issues which Slovenia has
complicated unilaterally.
(hina) ha jn