Slovenia supports the priorities of the Austrian presidency of the EU, Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel has told ambassadors from EU member states in Slovenia.
Wednesday's meeting between Rupel and the ambassadors from the EU countries in Slovenia was aimed at debating Austria's agenda for its six-month stint as EU president, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release.
According to Rupel, the agreement on the 2007-2013 EU spending plan has injected fresh optimism into the EU, which should allow Austria to go about its tasks more optimistically.
"Slovenia will support Austria in efforts to implement the priorities of its presidency," Rupel told the diplomats.
"Slovenia believes that bolstering trust in the EU, drafting the European budget, promoting economic growth and job creation...are of great importance for the 21st century Europe," Rupel added.
He said that Austria's plans to try and revive the debate about the European constitution is also a noble aim. "We are convinced that the European Constitution is far from dead," Rupel said.
The time has come to start thinking about the constitution again, he added. "It looks very likely that the debate on the ratification and implementation of the constitution will intensify during Slovenia's presidency in 2008," he said.
Rupel also welcomed Austria's decision to include the Western Balkans among the priorities of its presidency. "All countries in the Western Balkans made enormous progress towards EU membership over the last year," he added.
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