Negotiations With Croats? Yes And No

Regardless of the direction of legal negotiations, this does not exclude further arbitrage or opening Rehn`s initiative.

Slovenia hopes Croatia will agree to solving the border dispute according to the principle of righteousness and the achieved agreement is far from final, Miha Pogacnik told us over the telephone, presiding of the Slovene party in negotiations with Croatia over the border dispute. We asked Pogacnik how the negotiations were heading.

- It`s hard to say. Both yes and no. We agreed that we would notify our governments about the conclusions, and if they decide to continue with the agreements, we will meet again – Pogacnik said.

He confirmed that Croatia and Slovenia would meet in court, under the condition that the proceedings take place under the principle of righteousness.

- We haven`t agreed on all the elements, two things are left open and we still have to talk about the coast and territorial waters. Agreements on the land border have still not been fully determined – the Slovene negotiator went on.

Any body can solve the dispute

Previously, Pogacnik told a Slovene TV network that he expects the end of the Croatian-Slovene Committee`s work and that there was little hope of finding the right solution for the dispute.

Furthermore, there is the negotiator, i.e. help, as Oli Rehn called his initiative, who would propose possible options for the solution of the dispute to Slovenia and Croatia. If the dispute reaches the International Court of Justice, would it mean Oli Rehn was out?

- Diplomatic and legal means are at opposite ends. The dispute can be solved in The Hague and it can be solved through a different body, while the agreements of our committee do not exclude the option of a different solution – Pogacnik concluded.