Talks are in progress with governmental delegations from some of the republics

Ljubljana, 25 October - The outstanding claims of the Republic of Slovenia to some of the other republics of former Yugoslavia according to the balance made on September 30, amount to around 90 billion YUD, while Slovenia's debts to these republics amount to approximately 2 billion YUD. How to get this money back and how to regulate future economic relations between the republics are the main subjects of the separate negotiations currently in progress between the delegation of the Slovene government and the representatives of the governments of each of the republics. The Slovene delegation led by Vice-President Andrej Ocvirk has already met with its counterparts from Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Dr. Ocvirk at a press conference today told reporters that each of the three republics was offered a special agreement of payment, which is to regulate all future economic relations between it and the Republic of Slovenia. No agreement was reached with the Serbian delegation, as Serbia persists in demanding that an agreement be reached first regarding the republics's political standpoints. Despite this difference of opinion, both delegations agreed that economic cooperation should continue between the two republics. Economic cooperation between Serbia and Slovenia will at this moment most probably be possible on a strictly trade basis only, which, however, can be realized without difficulties, as the economies of both republics are compatible.