“Sarkozy to mediate border dispute?”

French President Nikolas Sarkozy is being touted as a possible mediator in the border dispute between Croatia and Slovenia, says Zagreb daily Jutarnji List. The newspaper claims that Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader plans to visit Paris in the second half of February at Sarkozy’s invitation, while Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor will be Sarkozy’s guest on Feb. 6. “Sarkozy to mediate border dispute?” In Brussels, the move has been interpreted as a clear sign that the French president has decided to join the negotiating process between Zagreb and Ljubljana. France’s previous mediation mission is said to have failed because of the low-ranking French diplomats employed, and the failure to involve either Sarkozy or French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in time. Speculation on Sarkozy’s mediating role stems from the fact that he will host and co-chair the NATO summit in April, which American President Barack Obama will also attend, heralding France’s official return to NATO. Sarkozy is keen to see Croatia and Albania granted full membership at the summit, a step that France would then be credited with. Brussels has sent warnings to both Zagreb and Ljubljana about the situation. Initially, Brussels expressed its dissatisfaction with Slovenia’s behavior, whose politicians had immediately and publicly dismissed a meditation mission, though now it is following Zagreb’s reaction with concern, following the latest contradictory messages coming from there. While Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Jandrokovic’s stated that Zagreb was not prepared to accept a mediation mission, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic has welcomed EU attempts to find a solution. “It would be a shame if Croatia, drunk on success because of the general condemnation of Slovenia, began to behave like Ljubljana; if Zagreb believed that it could either profit from or blackmail the EU and Slovenia owing to the latter’s momentarily bad position, because the Union will not stand for it,” writes Jutarnji List, quoting Brussels diplomats who say that, in contrast to Slovenia (which cannot be sanctioned), Zagreb, as a candidate, could suffer serious consequences. During his visit to Strasbourg today, where Sanader spoke with European Parliament (EP) Speaker Hans-Gert Poettering, he stated that bilateral issues cannot be an obstacle for counties entering the EU, and that a solution to the Croatian-Slovenian border dispute needed to be just and in accordance with the Bled Agreement of 2007. Noting that Slovenia was blocking 11 chapters, Sanader expressed hope that the problem could be resolved and that it would not interfere with the European agenda. Poettering believes the best political solution would be one with a strong legal basis. Expressing understanding for Sanader’s opinion that the best solution was a just one, “which, in principle, is always the best,” Pottering said that if the two sides did not accept that, he would recommend a continuation of political debate, with a view to reaching a just solution. Nicolas Sarkozy (Beta/AP, archive)

“Sarkozy to mediate border dispute?”

In Brussels, the move has been interpreted as a clear sign that the French president has decided to join the negotiating process between Zagreb and Ljubljana.

France’s previous mediation mission is said to have failed because of the low-ranking French diplomats employed, and the failure to involve either Sarkozy or French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in time.

Speculation on Sarkozy’s mediating role stems from the fact that he will host and co-chair the NATO summit in April, which American President Barack Obama will also attend, heralding France’s official return to NATO.

Sarkozy is keen to see Croatia and Albania granted full membership at the summit, a step that France would then be credited with. Brussels has sent warnings to both Zagreb and Ljubljana about the situation.

Initially, Brussels expressed its dissatisfaction with Slovenia’s behavior, whose politicians had immediately and publicly dismissed a meditation mission, though now it is following Zagreb’s reaction with concern, following the latest contradictory messages coming from there. While Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Jandroković’s stated that Zagreb was not prepared to accept a mediation mission, Croatian President Stjepan Mesić has welcomed EU attempts to find a solution.

“It would be a shame if Croatia, drunk on success because of the general condemnation of Slovenia, began to behave like Ljubljana; if Zagreb believed that it could either profit from or blackmail the EU and Slovenia owing to the latter’s momentarily bad position, because the Union will not stand for it,” writes Jutarnji List, quoting Brussels diplomats who say that, in contrast to Slovenia (which cannot be sanctioned), Zagreb, as a candidate, could suffer serious consequences.

During his visit to Strasbourg today, where Sanader spoke with European Parliament (EP) Speaker Hans-Gert Poettering, he stated that bilateral issues cannot be an obstacle for counties entering the EU, and that a solution to the Croatian-Slovenian border dispute needed to be just and in accordance with the Bled Agreement of 2007.

Noting that Slovenia was blocking 11 chapters, Sanader expressed hope that the problem could be resolved and that it would not interfere with the European agenda.

Poettering believes the best political solution would be one with a strong legal basis. Expressing understanding for Sanader’s opinion that the best solution was a just one, “which, in principle, is always the best,” Pottering said that if the two sides did not accept that, he would recommend a continuation of political debate, with a view to reaching a just solution.