LJUBLJANA, June 21 (Hina) - The meeting the prime ministers of Croatia and Slovenia, Ivica Racan and Janez Drnovsek, held in Slovenia on Wednesday reflects the Slovene government's "new style of foreign policy" which is aimed at
settling open issues with Croatia after ten years, a Ljubljana-based daily said on Thursday. "The prime ministers met, but uncertainties regarding the settlement of open issues remain. The brief statement that intensive talks will resume conceals a whole spectre of possible outcomes," Dnevnik daily said, adding it remained unknown why an existing agreement on borders was not adopted. "It is obvious an unpleasant and long international arbitration remains as a spare option," the daily said. "The Croats are waiting for the Slovene parliament to finally ratify the local border (traffic) agreement, Drnovsek is trying to come to terms with the coalition partners to keep the border agreement
LJUBLJANA, June 21 (Hina) - The meeting the prime ministers of
Croatia and Slovenia, Ivica Racan and Janez Drnovsek, held in
Slovenia on Wednesday reflects the Slovene government's "new style
of foreign policy" which is aimed at settling open issues with
Croatia after ten years, a Ljubljana-based daily said on Thursday.
"The prime ministers met, but uncertainties regarding the
settlement of open issues remain. The brief statement that
intensive talks will resume conceals a whole spectre of possible
outcomes," Dnevnik daily said, adding it remained unknown why an
existing agreement on borders was not adopted.
"It is obvious an unpleasant and long international arbitration
remains as a spare option," the daily said.
"The Croats are waiting for the Slovene parliament to finally
ratify the local border (traffic) agreement, Drnovsek is trying to
come to terms with the coalition partners to keep the border
agreement away from the constitutional court. Racan has more luck
with coalition partners who make no fuss about the border but are
interested in the (Slovene) debt owed Croatian depositors. The
Slovenes are still trying to get all four hamlets in Istria
(Croatia) instead of only the two mentioned by unofficial sources.
The Croats on the other hand are nostalgic for a highway shortcut
from Austria to Trieste. Official sources do not mention the latter
issue, which does not mean that it is not true."
These are the reasons Dnevnik mentions as hurdles to the reaching of
an agreement.
The daily is sceptical with regard to estimates that the open issues
will be settled soon, although it says dialogue should be expected,
not a further deterioration of relations.
(hina) ha sb