Sat, Nov 21 2009

Rehn meets Slovenia and Croatia about border dispute

Thu, Apr 23 2009 12:24 CET byClive Leviev-Sawyer 1644 Views 5 Comments
Rehn meets Slovenia and Croatia about border dispute

European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn.

Attempts by the European Union to broker a resolution to a border dispute between Croatia and Slovenia appear to have taken a small step forward on April 22 2009.

European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, with representatives of the EU Presidency Trio (made up of the former, current and future holders of the rotating presidency - France, the Czech Republic and Sweden) met Slovenian and Croatian foreign ministers Samuel Zbogar and Gordan Jandrokovic.

The meeting was held to "take stock of the situation concerning the stalemate in the EU accession negotiations with Croatia resulting from the border dispute between Slovenia and Croatia," an EU statement said.

"The Trio expressed its full support for the ongoing efforts of the Commissioner to find an overall solution to the situation and a strong conviction that agreement allowing to proceed with the negotiations is now within reach," the statement said.

"It urged both parties to act constructively in this decisive stage in an expectation of a definitive positive answer to the Commissioner's initiative as soon as possible. A continued joint EU approach to encourage both parties to this end remains crucial."

The diplomatic verbiage represents an attempt to get a process underway that could clear away an obstacle to Croatia moving closer to EU accession negotiations.

Croatia and Slovenia have had a long-running border dispute over a small section of Adriatic coast. Ljubljana has blocked Croatia's EU accession discussions, which Zagreb had hoped could be completed by 2011, as a result.

Croatia has repeatedly held that the International Court of Justice in The Hague should be the sole arbiter of the dispute, a position that Slovenia has rejected.
 

Comments

Anonymous Frankie Tue, May 26 2009 03:32 CET
Inappropriate comment?

Well, if Mr. "van Helsing" thinks that Troika is the proper word-it's not. It's not accepted in Slovenia and in Croatia, the proper word would be "Trica", at least in Croatia, "Trojka" would be Serbian by the way and "Troika" is definately Russian which, as I said before, is not common in that part of the world. After all, "Trio" looks fine for me...

Anonymous Frankie Tue, May 26 2009 03:25 CET
Inappropriate comment?

Joseph Ud...just for your information, Croatia is a sovereign country in its internationally recognized borders since 1992. Stealing of any land is not the issue, the issue is that actually Slovenia has not an acces to intenational waters, that's it. Keep your "bezobrazan" to yourself and let me know if anyone in Istria, which is a part of Croatia, wants to be "Slovene"...?!?
And yes, let's rule by international law, the only problem is, Slovenia is rejecting it. End of story !

Anonymous San Francisco - USA Tue, May 05 2009 00:51 CET
Inappropriate comment?

Both nations, Croatia & Slovenia must put their differences aside and unite. While Slovenia is part of the EU and Croatia aims for EU succession, it is imperative that both nations forget the past and move on. Croatia is vital to the EU and Slovenia will not achieve anything by blocking Croatia's succession to EU. Neither nation should place blame and respect each other under the rule of international law.

Anonymous joseph udovch Mon, Apr 27 2009 06:14 CET
Inappropriate comment?

Croatia you are pushing your luck to far. you have wright to push,but you do not have a wright to be "bezobrazan".what goes round,comes round.Slovenians hate to speak Srbo Croatian and people who lives on the land, that you are trying to steal,speak Slovenian,and they want to be Slovenian.you like to show color and shame the Balkan,ha.

Anonymous Dr Cornelius van Helsing Fri, Apr 24 2009 00:07 CET
Inappropriate comment?

With every respect to Clive Leviev-Sawyer (who is clearly a very good journalist), the word for "Trio" has actually been "Troika" in English-speaking government circles for a very long time indeed. The Russian word was borrowed in the early 1970s, and everybody liked it; I think it is "troika" in French and German too. As a senior UK civil servant from 1975 to 2001, I got quite accustomed to using it, so "Trio" looks very strange indeed.

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