"Within my powers, I told the Croatian prime minister that I don't see any obstacles to closing that chapter," Pahor told reporters at the end of an EU summit, without naming the chapter.

"One of the secondary questions remains under discussion, as it doesn't concern only relations between Croatia and Slovenia, but also another member country," he said, without expressly mentioning Italy.

"We are on the right track to solving it, so that Croatia could close three chapters. At this moment, I can't make a final confirmation before the third state agrees. We are working hard on it and there is enough time before the accession conference," Pahor said.

At next week's conference, Croatia is expected to close negotiations on the chapters "Justice, Freedom and Security", "Environment", and "Foreign, Security and Defence Policy".

On Monday, after a meeting of EU foreign ministers, Slovenian Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar said the Slovenian government believed parliament would ratify its negotiating positions on the "Justice, Freedom and Security" and "Foreign, Security and Defence Policy" chapters, while "Environment" was being discussed by the task force for enlargement of the Council of the EU.

Asked if Slovenia had reservations about that chapter, Zbogar said "there are no reservations. The EU's joint negotiating position is still being negotiated," adding that Slovenia "will say its opinion on the application of (Croatia's) Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone."

Kosor said in Brussels on Thursday she had received assurances from Pahor that Slovenia would not block the closing of the "Environment" chapter.

The Slovenian parliament's foreign policy committee has agreed to provisionally closing "Foreign, Security and Defence Policy" chapter at next week's conference.

Pahor said the government gave its consent at its last session to closing the "Justice, Freedom and Security" chapter.