19/06/2009
BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Croatia and Slovenia failed to resolve their long-standing border dispute at an EU-brokered meeting between Foreign Minister Gordan Jandrokovic and his Slovenian counterpart Samuel Zbogar in Brussels on Thursday (June 18th). Zbogar later told reporters that Croatia has broken off the negotiations by turning down EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn's latest proposal on the issue. Jandrokovic denied that, saying Zagreb has accepted the final compromise offer. Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader has urged Slovenia to immediately lift its blockade of Croatia's EU accession talks and offered two proposals aimed at ending the impasse, both involving documentation of the border. Zbogar said he found it "puzzling" that Croatia is offering alternative proposals while negotiations are ongoing. (HRT, STA, HINA, Javno, RTS, EUobserver, Reuters, AFP - 18/06/09)