Dear Prime Minister,
At the meeting with Prime Minister Borut Pahor in Trakošćan on 31 July 2009, we agreed that the continuation of Croatia's accession negotiations with the EU, as well as the resolution of the bilateral border dispute with the facilitation of the EU, are two goals for both, Croatia and Slovenia.
In this context, with the aim of addressing Slovenia’s reservations on several negotiations chapters, on behalf of the Croatian Government, I would like to declare that no document in our accession negotiations with the European Union can prejudge the final resolution of the border dispute between Croatia and Slovenia. The above applies to all documents and positions either written or submitted orally, including, inter alia, maps, negotiating positions, legal acts and other documents in whatever form, produced, presented or referred to by the Republic of Croatia in the framework of the EU accession negotiations. It also applies to all EU documents and positions which refer to or summarize the above-mentioned documents and positions.
The resolution or the way of resolution of the border dispute will be pursued through the continuation of the talks between Croatia and Slovenia facilitated by the European Union. It was also agreed that both sides will continue the negotiations on border dispute settlement with the understanding either to submit the border dispute to the Arbitral Tribunal or to conclude the bilateral agreement on common state border in accordance with the key priorities expressed in the Accession Partnership with Croatia (Council Decision 2008/119/EC) and with the aim to fulfill them
. Both sides also agreed that the 25 June 1991 presents the basis for the resolution of the border dispute and that no document or action undertaken unilaterally by either side after that date shall be accorded legal significance for the tasks of any arbitral tribunal, or any other procedure relating to the settlement of the border dispute between Croatia and Slovenia, which will be entitled by Croatia and Slovenia to resolve the border dispute, and cannot, in any way, prejudge the outcome of the process.
Having in mind that we have properly addressed Slovenia’s concerns related to the prejudices on the border between Croatia and Slovenia, we kindly invite the Swedish Presidency to convene an Inter-Governmental Conference in order to immediately resume Croatia’s accession negotiations with the European Union.
Dear Prime Minister, please accept the assurances of my high consideration.
Jadranka Kosor
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