EU still divided on Serbia's candidate bid

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic stated on Monday in London that Britain "supports EU enlargement to the Western Balkans". But he noted that "at the moment there is still no consensus within the EU on whether to make Serbia a candidate for membership". EU still divided on Serbia's candidate bid The Serbian foreign minister made the statement after his meeting with British Foreign Secretary William Hague. "We will continue to work on that, but at the moment it is rather hard to anticipate when that could happen," Jeremic said. However, he noted that that every time we get closer to finding a solution, "we witness a unilateral use of force on the ground which is aimed at changing the reality". "That is certainly not in the interest of peace and stability. It is also not in line with the previously made commitment that all outstanding issues should be resolved by peaceful means, through dialogue," the minister said. Jeremic and Hague met in London ten days prior to the meeting of EU heads of state and government, at which a decision on Serbia's EU candidate status should be delivered. Jeremic's talks with Hague marked the end of his visit to Britain. The Serbian foreign minister is traveling to New York, where he will take part in the UN Security Council meeting dedicated to Kosovo, which is to be held on Tuesday. The Security Council will meet to hear a regular quarterly update on the situation in Kosovo from the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Vuk Jeremic (FoNet, file) "Steps to normalize relations" British Foreign Secretary William Hague commended on Monday the decision by Belgrade to resume dialogue with Pristina, adding that further steps toward normalization of relations are necessary. Implementation of what has been agreed is also necessary, Hague said meeting Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic in London. Hague underlined that his country "supported EU enlargement that would to include all Western Balkan countries, as well as the significance of Serbia's constructive engagement with its neighbors", the Foreign Office said. Hague welcomed the progress made so far by Serbia towards meeting the criteria for candidate status and Belgrade's decision to resume dialogue with Pristina. He also "stressed the need for further steps towards constructive commitment to normalize relations with Kosovo" and for urgent and effective implementation of what has been previously agreed. The decision on the candidacy will be taken by the European Council on December 9, the release said. "Artificial dramatization" Serbia's EU accession process will last for years, and the dramatization of the December 9 has been artificially created in the public, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic has said, and added that enlargement is currently not EU's priority. "Taking into account the crisis the EU is faced with, the issue of enlargement is not one of the top priorities of the European leaders. Nevertheless, we are doing our best to obtain good news. It is hard to predict the outcome, but I believe the dramatization of the December 9 has been artificially created in the Serbian public. The EU accession will last for years," Jeremic stated for the Belgrade-based daily Blic on Monday. Jeremic pointed out that one should not predict the future EU order, but rather devote full attention "to reforms so as to make Serbia a country that adopts EU laws and standards." "The normalization of relations with Kosovo would accelerate Serbia's EU integration as much as cooperation with the Hague Tribunal did," Jeremic said. He stressed this does not mean efforts to resolve open issues through dialogue with Pristina should not be continued. When asked to comment Mladjan Dinkic's statement that no one in the EU wishes to receive or listen to Jeremic because he had lost credibility with the most influential countries, Jeremic said he is not familiar with Dinkic's motives, noting, however, that he is "astounded to hear him talk about someone's loss of credibility." Jeremic denied the claims that he is more committed to Arab and African countries than the EU, adding that the EU integration is the Serbian government's priority, but that in the time of crisis one should aim at strengthening cooperation, particularly the economic one, with the whole world. As for his appointment as President of the Serbian Tennis Association, Jeremic said that "the most important thing is that differences from the past are overcome, and we should now be devoted to promoting sports which, due to extraordinary results of Serbia's champions, have acquired high social significance."

EU still divided on Serbia's candidate bid

The Serbian foreign minister made the statement after his meeting with British Foreign Secretary William Hague.

"We will continue to work on that, but at the moment it is rather hard to anticipate when that could happen," Jeremić said.

However, he noted that that every time we get closer to finding a solution, "we witness a unilateral use of force on the ground which is aimed at changing the reality".

"That is certainly not in the interest of peace and stability. It is also not in line with the previously made commitment that all outstanding issues should be resolved by peaceful means, through dialogue," the minister said.

Jeremić and Hague met in London ten days prior to the meeting of EU heads of state and government, at which a decision on Serbia's EU candidate status should be delivered.

Jeremić's talks with Hague marked the end of his visit to Britain. The Serbian foreign minister is traveling to New York, where he will take part in the UN Security Council meeting dedicated to Kosovo, which is to be held on Tuesday.

The Security Council will meet to hear a regular quarterly update on the situation in Kosovo from the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

"Steps to normalize relations"

British Foreign Secretary William Hague commended on Monday the decision by Belgrade to resume dialogue with Priština, adding that further steps toward normalization of relations are necessary.

Implementation of what has been agreed is also necessary, Hague said meeting Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić in London.

Hague underlined that his country "supported EU enlargement that would to include all Western Balkan countries, as well as the significance of Serbia's constructive engagement with its neighbors", the Foreign Office said.

Hague welcomed the progress made so far by Serbia towards meeting the criteria for candidate status and Belgrade's decision to resume dialogue with Priština.

He also "stressed the need for further steps towards constructive commitment to normalize relations with Kosovo" and for urgent and effective implementation of what has been previously agreed.

The decision on the candidacy will be taken by the European Council on December 9, the release said.

"Artificial dramatization"

Serbia's EU accession process will last for years, and the dramatization of the December 9 has been artificially created in the public, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić has said, and added that enlargement is currently not EU's priority.

"Taking into account the crisis the EU is faced with, the issue of enlargement is not one of the top priorities of the European leaders. Nevertheless, we are doing our best to obtain good news. It is hard to predict the outcome, but I believe the dramatization of the December 9 has been artificially created in the Serbian public. The EU accession will last for years," Jeremić stated for the Belgrade-based daily Blic on Monday.

Jeremić pointed out that one should not predict the future EU order, but rather devote full attention "to reforms so as to make Serbia a country that adopts EU laws and standards."

"The normalization of relations with Kosovo would accelerate Serbia's EU integration as much as cooperation with the Hague Tribunal did," Jeremić said.

He stressed this does not mean efforts to resolve open issues through dialogue with Priština should not be continued.

When asked to comment Mlađan Dinkić's statement that no one in the EU wishes to receive or listen to Jeremić because he had lost credibility with the most influential countries, Jeremić said he is not familiar with Dinkić's motives, noting, however, that he is "astounded to hear him talk about someone's loss of credibility."

Jeremić denied the claims that he is more committed to Arab and African countries than the EU, adding that the EU integration is the Serbian government's priority, but that in the time of crisis one should aim at strengthening cooperation, particularly the economic one, with the whole world.

As for his appointment as President of the Serbian Tennis Association, Jeremić said that "the most important thing is that differences from the past are overcome, and we should now be devoted to promoting sports which, due to extraordinary results of Serbia's champions, have acquired high social significance."