SMARJESKE TOPLICE, Sept 16 (Hina) - Foreign ministry experts of Slovenia and Croatia met in Smarjeske Toplice in Slovenia on Tuesday to discuss issues relating to Croatia's intention to declare an economic zone in the Adriatic
Sea.
SMARJESKE TOPLICE, Sept 16 (Hina) - Foreign ministry experts of
Slovenia and Croatia met in Smarjeske Toplice in Slovenia on
Tuesday to discuss issues relating to Croatia's intention to
declare an economic zone in the Adriatic Sea. #L#
The Croatian delegation, which also included officials from the
ministries of agriculture and transport, informed the Slovene side
of Croatia's plan to widen its jurisdiction in the Adriatic in
compliance with EU fishing policies and an action plan to protect
the Mediterranean.
Croatia also presented its views on declaration of an exclusive
economic zone in accordance with international law as well as its
efforts to promote environmental protection of the Adriatic, the
head of the Croatian delegation told reporters after more than
three hours of talks.
Andrea Metelko-Zgombic, head of the International Legal Affairs
Department of the Croatian Foreign Ministry, added that the Slovene
delegation was also told that the Croatian parliament would discuss
expansion of jurisdiction in the Adriatic next month.
The Croatian delegation delivered documents on their country's
intention to expand its jurisdiction in the Adriatic and urged
dialogue at a higher political level in order to discuss issues of
common interest.
The two sides agreed that issues relating to the protection of the
Adriatic should be discussed by delegations of Adriatic states in
Brussels next week as part of a preparatory conference ahead of an
EU conference on the protection of the Mediterranean due to take
place in Venice in November.
In a separate statement read out to reporters, the head of the
Slovene delegation, Meta Bole, said that the Slovene delegation had
presented its already known position on the matter. Slovenia
stressed its opposition to any "unilateral decisions", especially
before the Venice conference on the Mediterranean, Bole said.
The Slovene officials expressed their interest in joining the
Croatian-Italian commission for the protection of the Adriatic.
The Slovene side wanted issues relating to the protection of the
Adriatic to be discussed at a multilateral level by Adriatic
countries and as part of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, which is
currently chaired by Slovenia.
The Slovene delegation said this was the first time it had been
informed about Croatia's intentions in the Adriatic. It insisted
that today's meeting was an exchange of opinions between experts
rather than negotiations.
(hina) vm