ZAGREB, Nov 11 (Hina) - Croatia can discuss the question concerning +the Prevlaka peninsula only with the Yugoslav Federal government +and will not hold separate talks with Montenegro, due to the fact +that the borders are a federal
issue. This was announced on Tuesday +by Croatian Foreign Ministry spokesman Zeljko Trkanjec, in +Zagreb.+ "The question concerning the borders is under the jurisdiction of +the federal government and Croatia is negotiating at this level", +said Trkanjec, commenting on Montenegrin's President Milo +Dukanovic, that Croatia holds talks, concerning Prevlaka, directly +with Montenegro .+ Dukanovic presented his motion in Podgorica (Montenegro) on Monday +while holding talks with the Croatian Ambassador in FRY, Zvonimir +Markovic.+ Prevlaka is the narrowest peninsula in which Yugoslavia has +territorial ambitions. Croatia considers this issue a question of +security, while Monten
ZAGREB, Nov 11 (Hina) - Croatia can discuss the question concerning
the Prevlaka peninsula only with the Yugoslav Federal government
and will not hold separate talks with Montenegro, due to the fact
that the borders are a federal issue. This was announced on Tuesday
by Croatian Foreign Ministry spokesman Zeljko Trkanjec, in
Zagreb.
"The question concerning the borders is under the jurisdiction of
the federal government and Croatia is negotiating at this level",
said Trkanjec, commenting on Montenegrin's President Milo
Dukanovic, that Croatia holds talks, concerning Prevlaka, directly
with Montenegro .
Dukanovic presented his motion in Podgorica (Montenegro) on Monday
while holding talks with the Croatian Ambassador in FRY, Zvonimir
Markovic.
Prevlaka is the narrowest peninsula in which Yugoslavia has
territorial ambitions. Croatia considers this issue a question of
security, while Montenegro, considers Prevlaka a pragmatic
economic step, and a priority is to open the borders with Croatia.
The spokesman said that Croatia is still waiting on a reply on its
suggestion that the first meeting of the Inter-State Council for
Cooperation between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina be held on
November 16, and then that a special relations agreement between
the two countries be signed.
Trkanjec said that outstanding issues between Croatia and Slovenia
have still not been resolved and that the two sides are yet to meet
just prior to the Summit of the Central European Initiative (CEI) on
November 20 and 21. It is necessary to see which issues can be
bilaterally solved and which need to be left to international
arbitration.
Croatian and Slovenian representatives decided in August this year
that the issues concerning Croatian depositors in Ljubljanska
Banka and disagreements over the management of the nuclear power
plant Krsko, be given a three month period to be solved. If these
issues were not resolved in the time frame it was agreed to resort to
international arbitration.
Slovenian Premier Janez Drnovsek, announced on Monday that the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) has already agreed to arbitrate
the dispute concerning Ljubljanska Banka.
Trkanjec said that in order for an arbitration hearing to be set
agreement was required on both sides, adding that Croatia and
Slovenia need to arrive at a consensus concerning the arbitration
and its specific content.
Ljubljanska Banka owes Croatian savings holders around DEM600
million.
(Hina) ab jn/sp