President meets with UN secretary-general

Serbian President Boris Tadic met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York this Tuesday. Reports said they agreed that it is very good that dialogue will start between Belgrade and Pristina and that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 is still in force. President meets with UN secretary-general "The secretary-general and I agreed that it is a very positive step that dialogue will start between Belgrade and Pristina, and this dialogue needs to touch on every open issue," Tadic pointed out in a statement with Tanjug after his meeting with Ban. He told the UN secretary-general that Serbia is not changing its stance and will never recognize Kosovo. "The conflict between Serbs and Albanians which has existed for years needs to be resolved by compromise, so that all of us together can have a European future and offer our citizens a chance at a better life," Tadic said. We both concluded that after all the political processes before the UN General Assembly over the last month, the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 has stayed in effect and constitutes the framework for any action by UN institutions, the Serbian president pointed out. Tadic noted that in the conversation with the UN secretary-general, he reiterated Serbia's position that "it will never under any circumstances recognize Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence, either explicitly or implicitly", but that it remains absolutely committed to dialogue. Tadic said they also discussed the Millennium Development Goals and Ban's role in the whole process. "I thanked him for his role in solving these issues, because they affect all mankind and especially the poorest part of the population. I told him that Serbia will fulfill its Millennium Goals obligations by 2015," Tadic concluded. Later in the day, President Tadic will meet with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. Also on his schedule for Tuesday are meetings with Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias, Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic, Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland. Tadic is in New York for the 65th UN General Assembly session, where on Monday he told a plenary session that Serbia is fully committed to meeting the United Nations' millennium developmental goals and should achieve them by 2015. "We are working very hard to establish truly sustainable and socially responsible long-term development, in line with the overall strategic intent of the Millennium Development Goals", he said. Tadic said Serbia was working toward those goals through the Strategy for Reducing Poverty, "an integral part of the Serbian government's efforts to achieve our central strategic priority: membership in the European Union," he said in his speech. Tadic stated that his country was fully dedicated to making the millennium goals a priority in legislative activity, adding that Serbia was willing, ready and able to help other countries in their efforts. Boris Tadic (Tanjug)

President meets with UN secretary-general

"The secretary-general and I agreed that it is a very positive step that dialogue will start between Belgrade and Priština, and this dialogue needs to touch on every open issue," Tadić pointed out in a statement with Tanjug after his meeting with Ban.

He told the UN secretary-general that Serbia is not changing its stance and will never recognize Kosovo.

"The conflict between Serbs and Albanians which has existed for years needs to be resolved by compromise, so that all of us together can have a European future and offer our citizens a chance at a better life," Tadić said.

We both concluded that after all the political processes before the UN General Assembly over the last month, the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 has stayed in effect and constitutes the framework for any action by UN institutions, the Serbian president pointed out.

Tadić noted that in the conversation with the UN secretary-general, he reiterated Serbia's position that "it will never under any circumstances recognize Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence, either explicitly or implicitly", but that it remains absolutely committed to dialogue.

Tadić said they also discussed the Millennium Development Goals and Ban's role in the whole process.

"I thanked him for his role in solving these issues, because they affect all mankind and especially the poorest part of the population. I told him that Serbia will fulfill its Millennium Goals obligations by 2015," Tadić concluded.

Later in the day, President Tadić will meet with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

Also on his schedule for Tuesday are meetings with Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias, Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic, Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland.

Tadić is in New York for the 65th UN General Assembly session, where on Monday he told a plenary session that Serbia is fully committed to meeting the United Nations' millennium developmental goals and should achieve them by 2015.

"We are working very hard to establish truly sustainable and socially responsible long-term development, in line with the overall strategic intent of the Millennium Development Goals", he said.

Tadić said Serbia was working toward those goals through the Strategy for Reducing Poverty, "an integral part of the Serbian government's efforts to achieve our central strategic priority: membership in the European Union," he said in his speech.

Tadić stated that his country was fully dedicated to making the millennium goals a priority in legislative activity, adding that Serbia was willing, ready and able to help other countries in their efforts.