President meets with CoE secretary general

Serbian President Boris Tadic met on Monday in Belgrade with Council of Europe (coE) Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland. They agreed that now that Serbia has been made candidate for EU membership, it was "facing a challenge embodied in the continuation of a successful reform process". President meets with CoE secretary general After the meeting with Jagland, Tadic underscored that Serbia will continue implementing reforms so that it could bring about deeper internal changes. Tadic thanked Jagland for his personal support to reforms in Serbia and his support to the Council of Europe. Serbia is continuing the dialogue with Pristina and after certain tangible results have been achieved which bear importance for citizens' everyday life, we can do even more, while making sure that Serbia remains firm in its stand that it will not recognise Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence, Tadic said. When it comes to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia fully respects its territorial integrity and sovereignty and continues to insist on respect for the principles defined in the Dayton Agreement, the president said. Bosnian politicians need to resolve problems without external interference but we all need to assist them in this, Tadic said. The two high officials also discussed economic issues and stated that Serbia should intensify the efforts aimed at bringing investors, improving living conditions and opening new jobs. Jagland underscored that winning the EU candidate status has demonstrated just how far Serbia has come on the social reform path. He underscored that Serbia is very important for the reconciliation process in the Balkans and he congratulated Serbian top officials on everything that has been done in order to regulate the relations with Croatia and Bosnia. Jagland congratulated Serbia on everything that it has done with a view to reconciling people in the Balkans, and added that reconciliation with Croatia and Bosnia is of historic importance. The European official also congratulated to Serbia on making use of all available instruments to protect minorities. In a meeting with Serbian Parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic earlier in the day, Jagland inquired in particular about elections in Serbia, notably about holding the vote in Kosovo and Metohija. Asked whether Kosovo could be admitted to the Council of Europe, after a meeting with Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, Jagland replied that it was important to bear in mind that a positive, constructive process was unfolding between Pristina and Belgrade, and that this process should be allowed to progress, instead of questions being raised that could damage it. Jagland and Tadic meet in Belgrade (Tanjug) Beta Tanjug

President meets with CoE secretary general

After the meeting with Jagland, Tadić underscored that Serbia will continue implementing reforms so that it could bring about deeper internal changes.

Tadić thanked Jagland for his personal support to reforms in Serbia and his support to the Council of Europe.

Serbia is continuing the dialogue with Pristina and after certain tangible results have been achieved which bear importance for citizens' everyday life, we can do even more, while making sure that Serbia remains firm in its stand that it will not recognise Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence, Tadić said.

When it comes to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia fully respects its territorial integrity and sovereignty and continues to insist on respect for the principles defined in the Dayton Agreement, the president said.

Bosnian politicians need to resolve problems without external interference but we all need to assist them in this, Tadić said.

The two high officials also discussed economic issues and stated that Serbia should intensify the efforts aimed at bringing investors, improving living conditions and opening new jobs.

Jagland underscored that winning the EU candidate status has demonstrated just how far Serbia has come on the social reform path.

He underscored that Serbia is very important for the reconciliation process in the Balkans and he congratulated Serbian top officials on everything that has been done in order to regulate the relations with Croatia and Bosnia.

Jagland congratulated Serbia on everything that it has done with a view to reconciling people in the Balkans, and added that reconciliation with Croatia and Bosnia is of historic importance.

The European official also congratulated to Serbia on making use of all available instruments to protect minorities.

In a meeting with Serbian Parliament Speaker Slavica Đukić-Dejanović earlier in the day, Jagland inquired in particular about elections in Serbia, notably about holding the vote in Kosovo and Metohija.

Asked whether Kosovo could be admitted to the Council of Europe, after a meeting with Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić, Jagland replied that it was important to bear in mind that a positive, constructive process was unfolding between Priština and Belgrade, and that this process should be allowed to progress, instead of questions being raised that could damage it.