Slovenian-Austrian Relations Excellent, FMs Say

Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner on Wednesday, 17 March paid an official visit to Slovenia in order to assess the relations between the two neighbour countries ahead of Slovenia's upcoming EU entry, the minister said following her meeting with FM Dimitrij Rupel. The pair described the relations as excellent.

A number of issues topped the agenda of the meeting, including the status of the Slovenian ethnic minority in Austria's Carinthia, the situation in Southeastern Europe and EU-related topics.

Ferrero-Waldner, who had paid a number of visits to Slovenia before, is currently visiting amidst her campaign for the April presidential elections in Austria. Minister Rupel was confident that Slovenia would keep "a good friend at an important position in the friendly country" regardless of the outcome of the 25 April elections.

Minister Rupel said that Slovenia expected assistance and understanding from Austria regarding the rights of the ethnic Slovenians in Carinthia, the rights guaranteed to the minority by the Austrian State Treaty.

Rupel expects that the minority will get an adequate place in the Austrian constitution and the work of the Austrian constitutional convention. "The issue is a somewhat modified Article 7 of the Austrian State Treaty and we expect the matter to be included in Austria's future constitution in a suitable, modernised manner," Rupel said.

"It is essential for both Slovenia and Austria that they maintain friendly and positive relations," Ferrero-Waldner said. Among other things, she pointed to "exemplary" ties in consular affairs and a number of cultural events. Recently, the Austrian Institute has opened in Ljubljana, while "Austrian Week" was held in the city last February.

The Austrian minister also underscored good military cooperation; Slovenian peace-keepers are to work together with their Austrian counterparts in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The official deems especially important a trilateral partnership between Slovenia, Austria and Croatia and support for Croatia's membership of the EU.

The two counterparts did not speak about the outcome of the recent provincial elections in Austria's Carinthia, but they did agree that the statements made ahead of the elections "may not necessarily be taken tragically", Rupel explained.

The elections were won by the nationalist Freedom Party (FPOe), which is led by Governor Joerg Haider.

"The governments in Vienna and Ljubljana discuss inter-state relations rather than local issues," Rupel noted, but added that minority issues were a matter of inter-state relations.

The talks also touched on the mixed commission of historians and legal experts set up in 2001 to examine the Austrian-Slovenian relations in the past century. According to Rupel, a collection of papers by the experts involved in the commission is expected to be published this year.

Speaking about liberalisation of EU's labour market, Minister Rupel said that Austria would have a transitional period but that the problem could be resolved by means of a bilateral employment agreement. This will be a matter for a special meeting by ministers in charge. Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs Vlado Dimovski is expected to visit Vienna shortly.

Among other issues, Rupel and his Austrian counterpart talked about celebration of Slovenia's entry into the EU on 1 May. At the time a meeting will be held on the border between Gornja Radgona and Austria's Bad Radkersburg, while a proposal has been made that the prime ministers of Austria, Slovenia and Italy would meet at the intersection of the borders.

Speaking about EU topics, Ferrero-Waldner said the outcome of the Spanish parliamentary elections instilled hope that agreement on the European constitutional treaty was possible even before the European parliamentary elections.

Austria and Slovenia maintain good economic relations, with trade increasing by the year. Last year Austria ranked 4th among Slovenia's foreign trade partners and was the leading investor with a 25-percent share in FDI in Slovenia.

Similar issues topped the agenda as the Austrian FM met President Janez Drnovsek and Prime Minister Anton Rop. According to his office, Drnovsek briefed Ferrero-Waldner on his recent official visit to France at her wish.

Ferrero-Waldner also met Austrian business officials and the German-speaking community at the Austrian Institute, which has recently opened in Ljubljana.

Source: Slovene Press Agency STA