Uredba o ratifikaciji Sporazuma o vzpostavitvi diplomatskih odnosov med Republiko Slovenijo in Etiopijo

Ljubljana, 3 December 1991

Your Excellency,

Please allow me to inform you that since 7 October 1991, the Republic of Slovenia has been implementing the Declaration of Independence, which gave effect to the plebiscitary will of the people of Slovenia to live in an independent state.

For the last seventy years the Slovenian people have lived in the state of South Slavic Peoples – Yugoslavia. Unfortunately, the expectations of Slovenes to live in harmony with other Yugoslav nations have not been fulfilled. Yugoslavia has suffered, especially for the last few years, by profound political crisis, mainly because basic human rights and freedoms have been violated in some of her parts, and the process of democratization systematically blocked.

Last year, in democratic elections, Slovenia made a decisive break with the Yugoslav ties and took the path of independence.

On 23 December 1990, the citizens of Slovenia, under extensive international observation, formally expressed their political will to regulate, on an equal footing and as a sovereign partner, the future relations of Slovenia with other republics of Yugoslavia.

Prior to the plebiscite on sovereignty, Slovenia proposed negotiations for the settlement of future relations among the Republics which were constitutive members of Yugoslavia.

After all the unsuccessful endeavors to start a serious dialogue on future relations among Yugoslav nations, the Republic of Slovenia, on the 25th of June 1991, declared her independence, basing her decision on the right of the Slovene people to self determination confirmed in the UN Charter, as well as in the Yugoslav constitution.

It should be underlined in particular that the Republic of Slovenia has, at the same time, again expressed her readiness to continue negotiations as an equal partner in finding peaceful and compromise solutions for all problems of future relations among the Yugoslav nations and their states. It should furthermore be stressed that the whole process of the Republic of Slovenia has taken place peacefully, without any act of violence and with full respect for human rights, and in accordance with the democratically expressed will of the Slovene people.

The Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Slovenia, passed on 25 June 1991, gave effect to the plebiscitary will of the people of Slovenia to live in an independent state. After the aggression of the Federal Army against Slovenia, following this decision, the Republic of Slovenia signed the Brioni Declaration and thus agreed to a three-month suspension of the implementation of Independence Acts, in order to allow agreement on peaceful dissociation.

After the Brioni Declaration had been accepted, the Yugoslav Army began to withdraw from the Republic of Slovenia. Slovenia now fully controls its territory and its borders. The EC Monitoring Mission greatly appreciated Slovenia's efforts to implement the Brioni Declaration. Slovenia has fulfilled its obligations so that, after the moratorium had run cut, it had the full right to implemented its independence.

Since 7 October 1991, the Republic of Slovenia has been implementing the Declaration of Independence.

The Parliament of the Republic of Slovenia, as the highest representative body of the state, has therefore adopted resolutions and laws which bind the Government and all its Agencies to continue the procedures intended to achieve the establishment of complete independence and statehood. The Republic of Slovenia, in accordance with the decision of its Parliament, will continue to cooperate at the Peace Conference in The Hague and strive for an agreed solution to all questions raised by the dissociation of Slovenia from other parts of former SFRY, as well as make efforts towards, the reestablishment of peace and arranging of relations between and among the individual republics, or rather new sovereign states, on the territory of former SFRY. One of the most important measures of the new Slovene state has been to make over complete authority on its territory, also in the field of external trade.

The Republic of Slovenia, as one of the legal successors of former SFRY, accepts and will abide by all international agreements which have been signed by the SFRY prior to the enactment of Slovene independence.

I would further like to draw your attention to the fact that the Republic of Slovenia is the most developed republic of former Yugoslavia. A free market approach to the economy is the fundamental premise underlying our economic relations, both within the country and internationally. The Slovene Government guarantees the performance of contracts between companies from the Republic of Slovenia and their foreign partners.

The Republic of Slovenia is willing to cooperate with all other states in areas of matual benefit.

The Republic of Slovenia greatly values good relations with Ethiopia and is very interested in their further development and intensification. We can claim with some satisfaction that the Republic of Slovenia, as a part of former SFRY, has contributed a great deal to the development of good economic relations with your country.

Please allow me, Your Excellency, to express the view that the international community should no longer postpone the recognition of the independence of the Republic of Slovenia, which would be a vital step towards the peaceful settlement of relations among the Yugoslav republics.

Until our relations are formally established, I would like to ask you kindly to suggest to the Government of Ethiopia that it takes a positive attitude towards seeking pragmatic solutions to economic cooperation. Allow me also to ask you to consider the possibility of recognizing Slovene passports.

May I also propose, Your Excellency, that Ethiopia reconsiders the possibility of recognizing the Republic of Slovenia in the nearest future.

Please accept the expression of my profound respects.

Date: 6 Nov. 1991

No.: 2-59/11/2/92

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and has the honour to inform the latter that the Transitional Government of Ethiopia has recognized the Republic of Slovenia as an independent state, and declares its readiness to establish diplomatic relations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia the. assurances of highest consideration.