Slovenia will become the first former communist country to take charge of the EU today with the aim of ending the “Yugoslav crisis” that led to its creation 16 years ago.

The tiny Eastern European country takes on the six-month presidency, giving it power over the EU’s priorities, just as the Balkans threatens to flare up again with a declaration of independence by the Serbian province of Kosovo early in the new year.

The country of two million people admits that it lacks the experience and personnel of bigger EU countries and has been receiving advice and diplomatic support from France, the next in line for the presidency.

This has led to accusations that President Sarkozy of France will control Europe’s agenda for a full year — helping him to push ambitions such as building the EU’s defence capability, over which he is at odds with British policy of concentrating on Nato.

Delo, the Slovenian daily, ran a commentary headed: “Under France’s Mantle?” claiming that Mr Sarkozy wanted to launch a debate on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy under the Slovenes so that Paris could prepare the conclusions.

Janez Jansa, the Slovenian Prime Minister, has denied that France will interfere with Slovenia’s plans or use its influence to do the groundwork for its own projects. However, Slovenia’s sparse diplomatic representation around the world means that the EU presidency will be promoted by 110 French embassies instead. “They are willing to help but they are not willing or mandated to take any leading role,” Mr Jansa said.

Dimitrij Rupel, the Foreign Minister, said that France and Slovenia were co-operating well. “We have promised each other all the help we can offer,” he said. French diplomats would be of great help, he said, and he would invite his French counterpart for consultations in resolving issues in the western Balkans.

Slovenia, which has one of Europe’s highest densities of forest, as well as a sliver of Adriatic coastline, borders the EU states of Italy to the west, Austria to the north and Hungary to the east, while its former Communist neighbour Croatia lies to the south.

It was quick to become established after declaring independence in 1991 and became a member of the EU in 2004, joining the euro last year.

The EU presidency switches between member states every six months and means that Slovenia will chair ministerial meetings and have the power to set priorities for the first half of 2008. Its main aim is to advance membership applications from the five other ex-Yugoslav countries: Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Mr Rupel said: “We in Slovenia believe that it is high time for the Yugoslav crisis to end — a crisis that began in 1991 when [former Yugoslav leader Slobodan] Milosevic attacked Slovenia. We see the solution in EU enlargement.” He added: “We are hopeful that during the Slovenian presidency EU agreements will be signed with the entire western Balkan region.”

Mr Rupel vowed that he would work hard to stop the EU from becoming divided over the status of Kosovo. Full independence is supported by most EU members but a few, including Cyprus, Spain and Greece, have doubts. The United Nations has failed to agree an approach after objections to Kosovan independence from Russia, which supports Serbia’s desire to retain control of the province.

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