ZAGREB, Jan 23(Hina) - Croatia's Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, who is the leader of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), on Friday afternoon received the chief of the Slovene Democratic Party, Janez Jansa, at the HDZ main offices, for
talks on cooperation between the two political parties as well as all on open issues between the two countries.
ZAGREB, Jan 23(Hina) - Croatia's Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, who is the
leader of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), on Friday afternoon
received the chief of the Slovene Democratic Party, Janez Jansa, at
the HDZ main offices, for talks on cooperation between the two
political parties as well as all on open issues between the two
countries.#L#
The two political parties' leaders agreed that open issues should be
considered in a friendly atmosphere, but they did not rule out the
possibility of going to international arbitration.
"It is not in our interest to see relations deteriorate, we want to
defuse the situation, and, as friends and neighbours, discuss open
issues and try to find a solution, " Sanader said after the meeting.
He went on to say that if the two sides failed to find solutions,
there would be enough time for arbitration which would be initiated by
the two countries together .
"We do not think that arbitration reflects a lack of maturity of the
two countries. It is a legal and legitimate institute," Sanader said.
The leader of the Slovene opposition party added that his party and
the HDZ had developed good relations while they had been leading
parliamentary oppositions in their respective countries, and they also
cooperated within the European Popular Party as its members.
"Good relations between the two parties are a framework for the
improvement of relations between the two countries," Jansa said. He
went on to say that the atmosphere between the two neighbours had
improved since the November parliamentary elections in Croatia and the
HDZ's coming into power.
(Hina) ms sb