Slovenia also opposes the proposal to reduce the number of NATO troops in Kosovo. The minister believes the EU could take over more responsibility only if significant headway is made in talks between Serbia and Kosovo.

The meeting hosted by German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on the sidelines of a NATO ministerial in Brussels discussed ways of improving synergies between NATO and the EU in Kosovo and how to encourage dialogue between Belgrade and Prishtina.

Invited to the meeting were only a few countries, among them the US, the UK, Poland and Slovenia. This shows that Slovenia "plays a positive and very proactive role", said the minister as he arrived for the meeting.

300 Slovenian troops are stationed in Kosovo under the NATO-led KFOR mission, while a 20-strong team is taking part in EU's EULEX mission to Kosovo, he said, labelling EULEX as "less efficient than one would have wanted".

"If it weren't for KFOR, I can't imagine who would uphold order," said Erjavec and pointed to violence that erupted last year. He said that the US had a similar position.