Tadić will not attend Slovenia conference

Serbian President Boris Tadic will not travel to the informal regional conference in Slovenia tomorrow, B92 has learned; Van Rompuy will also not attend . The Serbian leader will be absent because of a dispute over the manner in which the Kosovo Albanian delegation should be represented. Tadic will not attend Slovenia conference European Council President Herman Van Rompuy will not attend the gathering, Slovenian media are reporting this afternoon. Spanish FM Miguel Angel Moratinos, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, is another official who will miss the gathering. Earlier today, Slovenian PM Borut Pahor said that the conference planned for tomorrow in Brdo-pri-Kranju, Slovenia, will be held, "regardless of who will attend". He met to discuss the issue in Brussels last night with President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy. Pahor's only comment after the meeting was, "tomorrow's a new day". The Slovenian premier's trip to Brussels was described as part of the preparations for the conference. He did not reject the possibility that he might "visit some of the participating states" ahead of March 20. Today in Ljubljana, Pahor was quoted as saying that he would "not hold anyone's decision not to participate against them". Montenegrin PM Milo Djukanovic is already in Slovenia, reports said. But other participants are yet to be confirmed. Belgrade insisted that Kosovo Albanian officials can take part only under the name of Kosovo-UNMIK, while Pristina insisted it should be represented as "an independent state". Pahor was in Belgrade in a surprise visit on Wednesday evening. On Thursday, President Boris Tadic stated that "Serbia cannot accept to have Kosovo recognized implicitly as a separate state, through the solving of technical problems related to regional forums, regional communication, regional cooperation." "It comes from the other side of decency, when some international envoys, whether EP rapporteurs, whether politicians from other countries, tell Serbia what she must do about this. We know full well what we must do," Tadic concluded. Van Rompuy decision expected Friday European Council President Herman Van Rompuy was expected to make a decision by Friday afternoon on whether he would be attending the Balkan conference in Slovenia. Sources from Van Rompuy's cabinet have told Beta news agency that his talk on Thursday with Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor "did not give any results" that would affect his decision regarding his presence at the conference. Officials close to Van Rompuy said that he would be making a decision on whether or not he will be in Slovenia on March 20 "based on what happens in further preparations for the conferenc.." European and Slovenian sources could not tell journalists anything on whether Van Rompuy will be attending. European diplomatic circles told Beta that the conference is being looked at as a regional event chiefly, not one with particular influence on the EU-Western Balkans summit. The summit is planned for late May or early June in Sarajevo, and will be organized by Spain, with Italy's strong support.

Tadić will not attend Slovenia conference

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy will not attend the gathering, Slovenian media are reporting this afternoon. Spanish FM Miguel Angel Moratinos, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, is another official who will miss the gathering.

Earlier today, Slovenian PM Borut Pahor said that the conference planned for tomorrow in Brdo-pri-Kranju, Slovenia, will be held, "regardless of who will attend".

He met to discuss the issue in Brussels last night with President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy.

Pahor's only comment after the meeting was, "tomorrow's a new day".

The Slovenian premier's trip to Brussels was described as part of the preparations for the conference. He did not reject the possibility that he might "visit some of the participating states" ahead of March 20.

Today in Ljubljana, Pahor was quoted as saying that he would "not hold anyone's decision not to participate against them".

Montenegrin PM Milo Đukanović is already in Slovenia, reports said. But other participants are yet to be confirmed.

Belgrade insisted that Kosovo Albanian officials can take part only under the name of Kosovo-UNMIK, while Priština insisted it should be represented as "an independent state".

Pahor was in Belgrade in a surprise visit on Wednesday evening. On Thursday, President Boris Tadić stated that "Serbia cannot accept to have Kosovo recognized implicitly as a separate state, through the solving of technical problems related to regional forums, regional communication, regional cooperation."

"It comes from the other side of decency, when some international envoys, whether EP rapporteurs, whether politicians from other countries, tell Serbia what she must do about this. We know full well what we must do," Tadić concluded.

Van Rompuy decision expected Friday

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy was expected to make a decision by Friday afternoon on whether he would be attending the Balkan conference in Slovenia.

Sources from Van Rompuy's cabinet have told Beta news agency that his talk on Thursday with Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor "did not give any results" that would affect his decision regarding his presence at the conference.

Officials close to Van Rompuy said that he would be making a decision on whether or not he will be in Slovenia on March 20 "based on what happens in further preparations for the conferenc.."

European and Slovenian sources could not tell journalists anything on whether Van Rompuy will be attending.

European diplomatic circles told Beta that the conference is being looked at as a regional event chiefly, not one with particular influence on the EU-Western Balkans summit.

The summit is planned for late May or early June in Sarajevo, and will be organized by Spain, with Italy's strong support.