FM Kovač: Border issue should not be the focus and burden good bilateral relations

(Hina) - Croatian and Slovenian Foreign Ministers Miro Kovač and Karl Erjavec agreed in Ljubljana on Tuesday that the two countries' relations were good, in many areas even excellent

(Hina) - Croatian and Slovenian Foreign Ministers Miro Kovač and Karl Erjavec agreed in Ljubljana on Tuesday that the two countries' relations were good, in many areas even excellent, however, the positions of Zagreb and Ljubljana regarding the solution to the border dispute remain different.

Kovač reiterated Croatia's position that the arbitration process was history, adding that the unresolved border issue was only one segment in the two countries' friendly relations. "I am personally confident that step by step we can reach an acceptable bilateral solution," said Kovač during his first visit to Slovenia since stepping into office.

He added that in the meantime Zagreb and Ljubljana should not put that issue in the focus and thus burden their good bilateral relations.

Slovenian Foreign Minister said that Ljubljana's positions on the unresolved border dispute remained unchanged.

"Slovenia sees the arbitration agreement as an international agreement that is still in effect, we expect (the arbitration process) to continue and a ruling to be handed down," Erjavec said adding that Croatia, as a member of the European Union, should honour that agreement because it was brokered under the auspices of the European Union, He underscored that Slovenia was not considering alternative solutions to the border dispute.

The two foreign ministers condemned the terrorist attack which took place earlier today in Brussels. Erjavec confirmed a Slovenian diplomat was injured in the attack, adding however that his injuries were not life-threatening.

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