Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Mr. Samuel Žbogar visited TEPAV

ANKARA- Slovenia's Foreign Minister Mr. Samuel Žbogar visited TEPAV on 8 April 2010 to share his views on the recent developments at the Balkans.

Underlining that the Western Balkans holds a prior position in Slovenia's foreign policy agenda Žbogar stated that the country makes efforts to secure the stability in the region. Žbogar stressed that in this context, Slovenia hosted a Conference on Western Balkans on 20 March 2010 with the purpose to gather the top rank representatives of Western Balkan countries after an eighteen-year break.

Foreign Minister Mr. Žbogar maintained that it is of importance to turn Bosnia-Herzegovina into a more functional state and claimed that they could not compromise with the Bosnian politicians on this regard despite all their efforts.

Žbogar stated that the naming dispute between the Republic of Macedonia and Greece, and the conflicts between Serbia and Kosovo impede the development of the Western Balkans as well as the integration of the region into European and Atlantic institutions.

Debriefed about TEPAV Žbogar offered collaboration for the "Bled Strategic Forum" held annually.

Delivering a speech, TEPAV Foreign Policy Analyst Erhan Türbedar interpreted Turkey's Bosnia-Herzegovina opening and Ankara's view of the fundamental problems of the Western Balkans. Drawing attention to some common angles of Turkey's and Slovenia's foreign policy toward the region, Türbedar maintained it would be useful if Ankara and Lublana takes some steps jointly. Türbedar emphasized that hearing the Western Balkan countries is of vital importance for the solution of the Region's problems and stated that the regional and foreign actors struggling to ensure a brighter future for Bosnia-Herzegovina could combine their efforts on a wider platform for more fruitful outcomes.