TALKS WITH PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA

Ljubljana, 14 October 2000


President Kucan received a telephone call from the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dr Vojislav Kostunica late in the evening yesterday, informing him of the talks held with State Secretary Drobnic, envoy of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, and expressing Dr Kostunica’s satisfaction with the willingness to finally establish diplomatic relations between the two states. Concrete discussions about this issue will be possible and sensible once the Government of the FRY is formed and once the newly elected Slovenian parliament installs a new government after the elections.

Dr Kostunica confirmed that the FRY does not seek exclusive succession to the former SFRY and that he is deliberating on the proposal put forward by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan of applying for membership in the organisation. He also informed President Kucan of the situation in the FRY and of the endeavours to establish a bicameral federal assembly, a prerequisite for which are parliamentary elections in Serbia (presumably to be held 24 December) as well as an agreement with Montenegro to reinstall its representatives in Yugoslav federal bodies. This would also enable a dialogue on the future of the common state, a dialogue which President Kostunica would like to engage into as soon as possible with a visit to Podgorica, where he wants to arrive as the President of the FRY, the president of both its constituent republics. He updated President Kucan on the numerous visits of high officials in Belgrade, reflecting a high degree of understanding of the situation in the FRY and a readiness for cooperation and support. President Kostunica wishes to use the opportunity of his invitation to the EU foreign ministers' summit in Biarritz to present his views on the future of the FRY. He also intends to attend the conference in Zagreb, where he would like to meet with President
Kucan at the latest.

President Kucan confirmed his willingness for cooperation. He agreed with President Kostunica that a sound approach is required as regards future relations between the two countries and thanked him for having received the Slovenian government envoy.