DANISH FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS PRESIDENT KUCAN

Ljubljana, 15 May 2000


The President of the Republic Milan Kucan today received Niels Helveg Petersen, Foreign Minister, and Mogens Lykketoft, Minister of Finance of the Kingdom of Denmark. In their talks, the President stressed that the government crisis in Slovenia in no way represents a change to Slovenia's strategic foreign policy aims of EU and NATO accession. Slovenia is continuing with the process of harmonisation of its legislation and with reforms which Slovenia would have to undertake in any instance, even if it were not a candidate for EU accession. Slovenia is intensively preparing for assuming the responsibilities it will have as a future member of the EU, particularly regarding the Schengen border to the south of Slovenia, this in spite of possible differences concerning public administration reform and the reform of the banking and insurance systems.

The discussion also touched on the date of accession. President Kucan emphasised that neither candidate countries nor EU Member States should seek alibis for delaying the European enlargement process, which is an historic opportunity for Europe. That is also the reason why the interests of individual Member States at bilateral level should in no way slow down this process. President Kucan also evaluated Denmark's support to Slovenia in our integration efforts as very good, as he did the friendly relations between the two countries.

At the guests request the President of the Republic also presented his views on the current situation in the Balkans.