Brussels, 24/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, the president-in-office of the EU Council, Jean Asselborn, made an official visit to Slovenia, which currently holds the annual presidency of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). During his visit, Asselborn met President Janez Drnovsek, Prime Minister Janez Jansa, Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel and the President of the National Assembly, Franci Cukjati. Talks mainly concerned cooperation between the EU and OSCE, the political situation in the Western Balkans, ratification of the European Constitution and EU enlargement.
Mr Asselborn's trip to Slovenia comes shortly after the EU/OSCE ministerial meeting held in Brussels on 23 March. Last week, the Political and Security Committee (COPS) had entrusted the Council secretariat with the task of preparing proposals with a view to defining an EU position in response to rebalancing of OSCE missions as requested by Russia in the context of reform of the organisation (which groups 55 States including the United States and Canada).