CRO & SLOVENE STANCES ON BORDER NOT CLOSER - SLOVENE PREMIER

( Editorial: --> 1746 ) LJUBLJANA, June 17 (Hina) - Slovenian Premier Janez Drnovsek judged that the resolution of still open questions between Slovenia and Croatia is a very complex problem but his government is leading intensive discussions to resolve things. "It is about very hard negotiations and we will present the solutions when they are acceptable to our public and our state," he said on Tuesday in a lengthy interview with Slovenian Television. Drnovsek added that in negotiations his government defends national interests and points which cannot be conceded. He said that certain progress has been made in the agreement on the Krsko nuclear power plant while in regards to old savings accounts with the Ljubljana Bank Zagreb "very serious and intensive negotiations" are in course. According to Drnovsek, positions on defining the border in Piran Bay and Slovenia's exit to the open sea are not closer yet. Three issues mentioned by Drnovsek have been in process of being resolved since Croatian and Slovenian independence. The construction of the Krsko nuclear power plant, which is located on Slovenian territory, was jointly financed by Croatia and Slovenia, but after independence disagreements surfaced in regards to the legal status of the nuclear power plant. The problem with Ljubljanska Bank developed because the Zagreb affiliate's debt to Croatian savers. In regards to the border in Piran Bay, Slovenia wants it corrected to its own benefit, to increase its territorial sea. Slovenia explains its request on the grounds of the need for free passage to the open sea. Croatia however does not deny Slovenia access to international waters via its territorial sea nor in any way obstructs the right which Slovenia has according to international conventions. (hina) jn bag 171223 MET jun 98