Slovenia warns over delay in EU talks with Croatia

Slovenia warned on Friday of the repercussions on stability and safety in the Western Balkans region of a delay in European Union membership talks with neighbouring Croatia.

"Although there are reasons for postponing (EU membership) talks with Croatia, it could also carry some dangers," Slovenia's Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, also the chairman of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said on Friday.

"It could change the political mood in Croatia and have negative effects on Slovenia and the neighbouring countries."

Slovenia and Croatia are both former republics of the old Yugoslavia. Slovenia became the first ex-Yugoslav republic to join the EU on May 1, 2004.

EU membership talks with Croatia are scheduled to start on March 17, but the date is in doubt because of Zagreb's perceived non-cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) over the fate of fugitive general Ante Gotovina.

"There is no doubt over Croatia's duty to collaborate with The Hague tribunal, but full cooperation doesn't necessary mean that Croatia must deliver general Gotovina before talks start. Croatia must provide solid proofs that it is cooperating," Rupel said.

Slovenia believes its common past with the Western Balkans region enables it to mediate in the EU enlargement process to the south-eastern Europe region.

Relations between Slovenia and Croatia worsened last year when former prime minister, Anton Rop, of the centre-left, threatened to withdraw Slovenia's support for Croatia's EU membership after a series of border incidents.

Newly-appointed centre-right Janez Jansa's government, that won the October elections, distanced itself from Rop's threats and has been consistently backing Croatia's membership despite the unsolved border dispute between the two states.