Answering questions by several deputies, Cerar said that the EU training mission should be distinguished from the military operation that is being conducted in the African country by France.

The EU will provide the Mali soldiers with training when the situation allows this, he explained.

Touching on Slovenia's position on Syria, Cerar said that the country had been consistent in advocating an end to violence, a political solution and an end to violations of international law.

Concerned with the humanitarian situation in Syria and its neighbours, Slovenia will try to contribute some funds at next week's donor conference in Kuwait after already providing financial aid last year, he said.

Janja Klasinc of the opposition Positive Slovenia (PS) asked whether the Foreign Ministry had intervened in any way regarding the "meddling" of US Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli into Slovenia's internal affairs after the Club of Slovenian Ambassadors recently complained about this in a letter.

Cerar said that the government officials say "what we think about these and some other moves" in regular talks with the ambassador but that no formal measures had been taken after the letter was released.

"The position of the Slovenian diplomacy on the role of foreign diplomats in the country is clear: Issues are being resolved exclusively by the appropriate bodies", Cerar pointed out.