Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on Tuesday received Slovenian Defence Minister Ljubica Jelusic for talks on the current situation in the region, Mesic's office said in a press release. President Mesic said that as NATO members, Slovenia and Croatia had many opportunities for joint projects, notably in the manufacturing of military equipment.
President Mesic also said he was happy that the Croatian-Slovenian border dispute had been transferred from the political to the legal sphere. Jelusic said Croatian-Slovenian defence cooperation was excellent, voicing hope that cooperation would intensify in other areas in the future as well. She was also received by Parliament Deputy Speaker Ivan Jarnjak for talks on intensifying cooperation between the two countries within NATO, according to a press release from parliament.
NATO members Slovenia and Croatia share goals, such as preserving peace and security in the region, said Jelusic. The Slovenian delegation was interested in the Croatian parliament's role in the adoption of decisions on the sending of Croatian troops to peace missions and military operations around the world. Jarnjak said this decision was made by parliament, whereas Jelusic said that in Slovenia this decision was made by the government. Jarnjak said Croatia used the services of peace troops during the 1991-95 war and was grateful for their assistance, while nowadays it was providing for peace in other countries.