Slovenia Seeking NATO Membership
LJUBLJANA, April 30 (Reuters) — NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana began a 24-hour trip to Slovenia on Tuesday by thanking government leaders for allowing NATO troops to travel through the country on their peacekeeping mission to Bosnia. "NATO is grateful to Slovenia for its cooperation in allowing IFOR (Implementation Force) troops to transit through its territory," Solana said in a short statement after meeting Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek. The two men also talked about Slovenia's role in the peace process in Bosnia and about Slovenia's future membership of 16-member NATO."The atmosphere between Slovenia and NATO is friendly and I hope for progress in relations between the two parties," Solana said, without giving further details. He is scheduled to hold a news conference on Wednesday. Drnovsek said Slovenia, a former Yugoslav republic, saw its future as a full NATO member and was aware of the obligations that required. "Slovenia sees its security improved by joining NATO. Our activities in the Partnership for Peace programme should be a good basis for our full membership," Drnovsek told reporters. Slovenia, which declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, agreed in 1994 to take part in NATO's Partnership for Peace program.
Solana, a former Spanish foreign minister, is on a swing through Central and East Europe. He arrived in Slovenia after visiting ex-Warsaw Pact states Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. He leaves for Albania on Wednesday. Solana was scheduled to meet Slovenian President Milan Kucan, other ministers and NATO ambassadors later on Tuesday. He was also due to hold talks with the leader of the main opposition Social Democratic Party, Janez Jansa, who is against any move by Slovenia to join NATO.
An opinion poll published in Slovenia's biggest-selling daily Delo on Tuesday showed three-quarters of those surveyed backing NATO membership, but around half opposed the siting of a NATO base in the country.
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