Talks between Slovenia and Croatia over their 18-year border dispute have come to a standstill, following Slovenia’s accusation that Croatia broke off the negotiations.

Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader has suggested two alternative solutions to the original European proposal, as he believes that the Slovenian amendments were fundamental changes to the proposal. Slovenian Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar stated that the Croats were not ready to continue the negotiations, because they placed other proposals over the original one.

In April, the European Union’s (EU) Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn proposed to create an arbitration body in order to unblock the Croatian EU entry negotiation talks and solve the country’s border dispute with Slovenia. The arbitration body would include five arbitrators. The European Commission would propose the main arbitrator, who would name two of its assistants, while Croatia and Slovenia would name one arbitrator each. Croatia has accepted the proposal, while Slovenia has asked for amendments.

Slovenia has blocked Croatia's negotiation talks due to the unsolved border dispute. The country seeks direct access to international waters in the northern Adriatic, asking Croatian for a channel to the open sea. Croatia aims to enter the union in 2010 or 2011.