Rehn reveals new proposal to Slovenia, Croatia

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has outlined his latest, third proposal for settling the Slovenian-Croatian border dispute to the two key protagonists. Rehn’s spokeswoman Christina Nagy confirmed that the commissioner had presented the plan to the two countries’ foreign ministers, Samuel Zbogar and Gordan Jandrokovic, during a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday. Rehn reveals new proposal to Slovenia, Croatia Talks in Brussels are expected to continue, though no more detailed information is available. Given that neither of Rehn’s proposals thus far have have yielded any consensus and that both sides remain rooted to their starting positions, it is unlikely that the EU negotiating conference on Croatia will take place on Friday, April 24, as scheduled. Sources in Brussels confirmed to Slovenian media that the conference would have to be postponed for a second time, though it is unclear whether the postponement will be a matter of days or months. Slovenia called for a postponement the first time. The Czech EU presidency has already announced that in the event of a new postponement the problem would be included on the agenda of the formal meeting of EU foreign ministers scheduled for next Monday. After the meeting in Brussels, Croatian Foreign Minister Jandrokovic said that Rehn’s latest proposal took Zagreb’s position very much into account. “Rehn’s proposal, which is strongly supported by the EU presiding trio, is a good basis for reaching an acceptable solution,“ said Jandrokovic. He added that the proposal took into ample consideration the positions of both sides in resolving the crisis: separating the talks on the borders from Croatia’s EU accession, lifting the Slovenian blockade on Croatian negotiations, and resolving the matter on the basis of international law before one of the international courts. The minister added that there were a number of elements where Croatia would have to hold political consultations, after which, he hoped, Zagreb would be iable to outline its position on the new proposal. The Slovenian Foreign Ministry also confirmed that Rehn had presented his new proposal for settling the dispute. The Slovenian side added that the proposal would enable the resumption of Croatian pre-accession talks with the EU, which Ljubljana continues to block over what it sees as Zagreb’s prejudging of the border issue in its negotiating documents. Slovenia will adopt its position on the latest proposal following a debate in the government and parliament. Meanwhile, the EU presiding trio of the Czech Republic, Sweden and France have called on Croatia and Slovenia to exhibit maximum constructiveness and to endorse Rehn’s proposal wholeheartedly, in order to resolve the issue as speedily as possible. Olli Rehn (Beta, archive)

Rehn reveals new proposal to Slovenia, Croatia

Talks in Brussels are expected to continue, though no more detailed information is available. Given that neither of Rehn’s proposals thus far have have yielded any consensus and that both sides remain rooted to their starting positions, it is unlikely that the EU negotiating conference on Croatia will take place on Friday, April 24, as scheduled.

Sources in Brussels confirmed to Slovenian media that the conference would have to be postponed for a second time, though it is unclear whether the postponement will be a matter of days or months. Slovenia called for a postponement the first time.

The Czech EU presidency has already announced that in the event of a new postponement the problem would be included on the agenda of the formal meeting of EU foreign ministers scheduled for next Monday.

After the meeting in Brussels, Croatian Foreign Minister Jandroković said that Rehn’s latest proposal took Zagreb’s position very much into account.

“Rehn’s proposal, which is strongly supported by the EU presiding trio, is a good basis for reaching an acceptable solution,“ said Jandroković.

He added that the proposal took into ample consideration the positions of both sides in resolving the crisis: separating the talks on the borders from Croatia’s EU accession, lifting the Slovenian blockade on Croatian negotiations, and resolving the matter on the basis of international law before one of the international courts.

The minister added that there were a number of elements where Croatia would have to hold political consultations, after which, he hoped, Zagreb would be iable to outline its position on the new proposal.

The Slovenian Foreign Ministry also confirmed that Rehn had presented his new proposal for settling the dispute.

The Slovenian side added that the proposal would enable the resumption of Croatian pre-accession talks with the EU, which Ljubljana continues to block over what it sees as Zagreb’s prejudging of the border issue in its negotiating documents.

Slovenia will adopt its position on the latest proposal following a debate in the government and parliament.

Meanwhile, the EU presiding trio of the Czech Republic, Sweden and France have called on Croatia and Slovenia to exhibit maximum constructiveness and to endorse Rehn’s proposal wholeheartedly, in order to resolve the issue as speedily as possible.