Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan has said he will ask parliament to accept international arbitration over a maritime border dispute with Slovenia.

Mr Racan has faced hostility from both parliamentarians and the public over a deal he reached with his Slovenian counterpart, Janez Drnovsek, in July.

Under the agreement, Slovenia would regain access to international waters in Piran bay, on the north-west tip of the Istra peninsula.

A large part of the bay would then come under Slovenian sovereignty, while Croatia would keep its direct access to Italian waters.

Mr Racan said he would ask parliament to agree to the result of arbitration in advance, if it went ahead.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service