“Serbia can get date for EU accession talks in 2012”

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic stated in Brussels Friday that Serbia had a good chance to get a date for the beginning of the EU accession talks in 2012. He added that it should take advantage of the current EU integration momentum. “Serbia can get date for EU accession talks in 2012” “Brussels is in a kind of festive mood over Serbia's EU integration process,” Jeremic said after meeting foreign ministers of Malta, Italy, Slovenia and the Great Britain, adding that everybody was satisfied that Serbia had achieved the status of an EU candidate. “The continuation of the process will bring about new obligations, primarily in terms of the date for the EU accession talks,” the Serbian minister noted, stressing that Serbia should take advantage of the current momentum. “I am certain that the new government will proceed with the European path,” Jeremic added. He attended on Thursday evening a working dinner with foreign ministers of EU member states and candidate countries - Montenegro, Macedonia, Turkey, Island and Croatia, which this year has the status of an associate member. “This was the first time Serbia attended a meeting of the kind,” Jeremic said, adding that the ministers addressed world issues. “We discussed the situation in Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Arab Spring,” the foreign minister said, stressing that Serbia had been presented with an opportunity to contribute to the talks. “Throughout its history in the Non-Aligned Movement, Serbia has established closer and different relationships with many world countries when compared to the majority of the EU countries,” Jeremic underlined, adding that Serbia's contribution was reflected in transmission of messages, which was a quality that others do not possess. “We are not a country of large resources, and we cannot offer much in terms of money,” he noted, pointing to Serbia's contribution to close relationships with Arab countries. “Everybody is aware that the geopolitical developments following the Arab Spring will leave political, security and economic consequences on our part of the world,” Jeremic explained. On Friday Jeremic is to confer with former Managing Director for Russia, Eastern Neighborhood and the Western Balkans in the EU's External Action Service and Slovenia's future minister of foreign affairs Miroslav Lajcak, and Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic. Vuk Jeremic Tanjug

“Serbia can get date for EU accession talks in 2012”

“Brussels is in a kind of festive mood over Serbia's EU integration process,” Jeremić said after meeting foreign ministers of Malta, Italy, Slovenia and the Great Britain, adding that everybody was satisfied that Serbia had achieved the status of an EU candidate.

“The continuation of the process will bring about new obligations, primarily in terms of the date for the EU accession talks,” the Serbian minister noted, stressing that Serbia should take advantage of the current momentum.

“I am certain that the new government will proceed with the European path,” Jeremić added.

He attended on Thursday evening a working dinner with foreign ministers of EU member states and candidate countries - Montenegro, Macedonia, Turkey, Island and Croatia, which this year has the status of an associate member.

“This was the first time Serbia attended a meeting of the kind,” Jeremić said, adding that the ministers addressed world issues.

“We discussed the situation in Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Arab Spring,” the foreign minister said, stressing that Serbia had been presented with an opportunity to contribute to the talks.

“Throughout its history in the Non-Aligned Movement, Serbia has established closer and different relationships with many world countries when compared to the majority of the EU countries,” Jeremić underlined, adding that Serbia's contribution was reflected in transmission of messages, which was a quality that others do not possess.

“We are not a country of large resources, and we cannot offer much in terms of money,” he noted, pointing to Serbia's contribution to close relationships with Arab countries.

“Everybody is aware that the geopolitical developments following the Arab Spring will leave political, security and economic consequences on our part of the world,” Jeremić explained.

On Friday Jeremić is to confer with former Managing Director for Russia, Eastern Neighborhood and the Western Balkans in the EU's External Action Service and Slovenia's future minister of foreign affairs Miroslav Lajčak, and Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusić.