Republic of Slovenia - Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

The Republic of Slovenia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia established diplomatic relations on 9 December 2000. Bilateral relations are developing successfully with both sides working towards the resolution of the open issues that built up over the ten years without diplomatic relations. They have signed a large number of agreements and new agreements are in preparation. They will form the basis for the strengthening of mutual cooperation. A Friendship with the FR Yugoslavia Group has been set up in the Slovenian National Assembly and a similar group has been founded in the Yugoslav parliament.

The Republic of Slovenia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia have concluded the following agreements:

• Agreement on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations;
• Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation;
• Agreement on Cooperation in Education and Culture;
• Agreement on Cooperation in the Fight against Organised Crime, Trafficking in Illicit Drugs,
• Psychotropic Substances and Precursors, Terrorism and other Serious Crimes;
• Agreement on the Return and Readmission of Persons who do not comply with the conditions
• for Entry or Residence on the Territory of the Other State;
• Agreement on the International Transport of People and Goods by Road;
• Agreement on the Abolition of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic Passports;
• Protocol on Cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia
• and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia;
• Protocol on Cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the
• Republic of Slovenia and the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations of the Federal Republic
• of Yugoslavia;
• Protocol on the Implementation of the Agreement on the Return and Readmission of Persons who do not comply with the conditions for Entry or Residence on the Territory of the Other State.

The following important agreements are currently under preparation:

• Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investments;
• Free Trade Agreement;
• Convention on the Avoidance of Double Taxation;
• Agreement on Scheduled Air Services;
• Agreement on Customs Cooperation;
• Agreement on Cooperation in the field of Tourism;
• Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation.

Economic cooperation between Slovenia and Yugoslavia has been on the increase since diplomatic relations were established. Slovenia is the largest foreign investor in Yugoslavia by number of investments (122 in 2001). The factors favouring the entry of Slovenian companies on the Yugoslav market include geographical proximity, considerable knowledge of the business environment, knowledge of the language and culture, numerous personal and business contacts and the fact that there is much less competition from foreign firms than in EU states on this risky market.

The signing of agreements in the economic sphere are essential to continued cooperation. Trade between Slovenia and Yugoslavia in 2001 totalled USD 282.9 million (index 153.5), with Slovenian exports worth USD 235.6 million (index 164.3). In January 2002 Slovenian exports to Yugoslavia increased by 30.5 percent compared to the same period in 2001. Imports from Yugoslavia increased by 9.9 percent.

In November 2000, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (CCIS) opened a temporary information office in Belgrade. In January 2001 an agreement on cooperation between the chambers of commerce and industry from both states was signed. In March 2002 the CCIS representative office in Belgrade was officially opened. In 2002 the CCIS planned a large number of business events aimed at strengthening economic cooperation with Yugoslavia, the most important being the visit of a business delegation to Yugoslavia from 10 to 13 March 2002.

Slovenia and Yugoslavia are successfully cooperating in a wide range of other areas including the fields of agriculture, culture, justice, internal affairs and transport.

After the establishment of diplomatic relations the following visits between foreign ministries took place: the official visit of Goran Svilanovic to Ljubljana in December 2000, the official visit of foreign minister Dr Dimitrij Rupel to Belgrade in March 2001, the working visits of Dr Rupel to Podgorica and to Belgrade, both in September 2001, and the working visit of Goran Svilanovic to Ljubljana in November 2001. Dragoljub Micunovic, president of the Yugoslav Federal Parliament visited Slovenia in September 2001. Borut Pahor the president of the Slovenian National Assembly visited Yugoslavia in April 2002. The countries are also in continuous contact at other levels.

Slovenia supports the inclusion of Yugoslavia in Euro-Atlantic structures and has offered to share its own experience of the integration process. One of Yugoslavia's main foreign policy objectives is to join the Council of Europe, for which it has Slovenia's continuous support. The two countries are successfully cooperating within regional initiatives. With the financial support of the Central European Initiative (CEI) within the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe a Slovenian project is successfully underway in Yugoslavia entitled "Development of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Entrepreneurship". The Slovenian Ministry of the Economy is providing EUR 205,000 for the project and the CEI is providing EUR 50,000.

The Slovenian Ministry of the Economy, which runs the programmes of technical and economic assistance from the Working Table for Economic Reform and Development with the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, allocated EUR 528,416 to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for 2002. The 2002 programme is development oriented and prioritises the promotion of knowledge transfer. It is divided into three main sections:

• enterprise development assistance;
• training for state administrations, public institutions and commercial companies;
• assistance in institution building.

The International Trust Fund for Deming and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) has offered assistance to Yugoslavia, which expressed an interest in the clearance of unexploded ordinance (UXOs). At the start of November 2001 a Memorandum on Cooperation between the ITF and Yugoslavia was signed. Donators have offered Yugoslavia USD 1.2 million via the ITF.

In autumn 2001 the ITF finished its demining activities in Kosovo, which is has now been cleared of mines according to international standards. This is the first project in South Eastern Europe to be successfully completed. According to UNMIK figures, 25000 anti-personnel mines and 8300 cluster bombs were cleared and destroyed in Kosovo. Anti-personnel mines in Kosovo were cleared to internationally acceptable standards, which allows for the transfer of activities to local authorities. Since 15 December 2001 responsibility and work in the field of anti-personnel mines has been within the remit of the Kosovo Department for Civil Security and Emergency Preparedness. Twenty-eight mine victims have been rehabilitated at the Institute for Rehabilitation in Slovenia.

GOVERNMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MEDIA OFFICE © 2002