Slovene Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel on Monday launched the so-called White Paper on the Slovene-Croatian border, which contains Slovenia's well known position on the sea and land border between the two countries. The paper also reiterates the position that Slovenia must have access to the high seas and that the Bay of Piran belongs entirely to Slovenia.
Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said on Monday his government would study and comment on the Slovene "White Paper", adding that he would hold a meeting with experts at which he would propose that Croatia publish a "Blue Paper" to present its arguments and position on topics discussed in the "White Paper".
The Croatian People's Party - Liberal Democrats (HNS) said in a statement today that the publishing of the White Paper represented an irresponsible approach to which the Croatian Government should not respond in the same way - namely by publishing the Blue Paper.
Bilateral issues should be solved by bilateral agreements and if that is not possible international arbitrations should be accepted, the HNS said in the statement.
The Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) asked that the Blue Paper be discussed by the Croatian parliament, so that the position of the opposition parties would also be discussed.
The Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) believes the Slovene White Paper is only a bait for the Croatian government which must not take it by responding to it by some Blue Paper.
The Croatian Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry issued a statement on Slovenia's White Paper yesterday.
The Croatian ministry says in the statement that it will study the claims and documents in the White Paper when it officially receives it.