Croatian lawmakers voted to allow the prime minister to sign a deal with Slovenia calling for international negotiators to draw an Adriatic border left unmarked after the 1991 breakup of Yugoslavia.The drafting of the deal _ brokered after the countries failed to resolve the border dispute themselves _ led to Slovenia lifting its block against Croatia's EU membership talks, allowing them to resume on Oct. 2.
The Croatian and Slovenian prime ministers are now set to sign the deal in Sweden, which holds the rotating EU presidency. The countries' parliaments will then vote again on adopting the document.
Slovenia _ with less than 25 kilometers (16 miles) of Adriatic coastline between the Italian and Croatian borders _ wants the border to include a channel giving it open sea access. The two also claim coastal territory covering several villages.
Croatia has said only that it would offer Slovenia free transit through its waters.
Croatian nationalists and leftists opposed to the deal said it would relinquish part of its territory to Slovenia.
Slovenian opponents say international arbitrators could end up dismissing Slovenia's claim altogether.
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