LJUBLJANA, Slovenia -- Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said Wednesday (8 December) that Slovenia advocates starting EU talks with Croatia as soon as possible. He added that for the time being, Slovenia has decided to support Croatia's integration efforts and wants to see its neighbour start harmonising with EU standards quickly.

In other news, British Minister for Europe Denis MacShane visited Berlin on Wednesday and said launching accession talks with Croatia hinges on its co-operation with the UN war crimes tribunal. He added that Zagreb's failure to arrest retired General Ante Gotovina makes the country unfit for accession. (Vjesnik, Vecernji List, The Guardian - 09/12/04; HINA, HRT, AP, AFP - 08/12/04)