Slovenia Declines Trump's Invitation to Join 'Board of Peace'

Slovenia's Response to Trump's Initiative

BELGRADE, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Slovenia's Prime Minister Robert Golob said on Wednesday his country will not accept an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to join his so-called "Board of Peace".

Concerns Over International Order

Trump has invited dozens of world leaders to join the U.S.-led initiative, which he would chair and would initially aim to end the conflict in Gaza but then be expanded to tackle wars elsewhere.

Reactions from Other Countries

"The main concern is that the committee's mandate is too broad and that it could dangerously undermine the international order based on the United Nations Charter," the N1 news web portal quoted Golob as saying.

Slovenia's Role in Global Politics

"Although we find any initiative that can calm the situation in the Middle East to be commendable, this invitation dangerously encroaches on the broader international order and not just on pacification in Gaza," he said.

While some traditional U.S. allies have responded cautiously - and in a few cases have rejected Trump's offer over concerns it could harm the work of the United Nations - other countries, including some with strained ties with Washington, have accepted.

N1 cited Golob as saying he will not attend the signing of the initiative's founding charter at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday, but will instead attend the meeting of the European Council leaders in Brussels.

Slovenia is both a European Union and NATO member state.

(Reporting by Ivana Sekularac; Editing by Joe Bavier)