Foreign Minister Rupel Points to Foreign Political Successes in 2001

Ljubljana, 22 December - The year 2001 was jam-packed with events and positive achievements in the Slovene foreign policy, Slovene Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel told STA in a New Year's interview. Rupel was quick to point to the fact that Slovenia finished the year as the EU candidate with the most closed chapters in negotiations, adding that it has ridded itself of some stereotypical thinking, including that of self-complacency about NATO membership, while also managing to become more visible in the international community. The Foreign Minister could also not go past the achievements made in bilateral relations with neighbouring countries saying that "the table which was full of problems has been somewhat cleared".