Serbia’s priorities remain same, FM says

BELGRADE Serbia's foreign policy priorities in 2013 will remain the same as they have been to date, Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic has said. He explained the priorities were protection of sovereignty and territorial integrity, EU accession and further development of relations with Washington, Moscow, Beijing and other international partners. Serbia’s priorities remain same, FM says “We continue to tailor the position of our country so that it could develop as peacefully and easily as possible, as well as foster relations with numerous partners. Brussels is still our priority, that is well-known, but we have excellent relations with Moscow, and in recent months we have significantly improved our relations with Washington,” Mrkic told Tanjug on Wednesday. He noted that simultaneously with the EU accession, the main national issue for Serbia was the resolution of the issue of Kosovo, adding that a policy of continuity was being pursued in that field. According to him, partners from the EU, from the European Commission in particular, saw that Belgrade was serious and efficient in the moves it had been making based on the way in which the process unfolded. The foreign minister preferred not to forecast whether Serbia would be granted a start date for the EU entry talks during the Irish Presidency, from January 1 to July 1, 2013, but said that the conclusions delivered by the European Council gave grounds for optimism. “In essence, I have not read better recommendations and proposals of the European Council so far. Earlier, they always had a blackmailing approach, which was not the case this time,” Mrkic stressed. If Serbia does not get the date during the Irish Presidency, the minister does not expect problems during the Presidency of Lithuania, the only EU member state that has yet to ratify the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia whose representative was Serbian former Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic's rival for the UN General Assembly President's office. When it comes to the relations with Washington, the Serbian foreign minister believes that he will have “the best possible cooperation” with the newly appointed Secretary of State John Kerry, also qualifying the recent talks with Hillary Clinton in Belgrade as “substantial and useful”. Mrkic voiced confidence that Washington recognized the fact that the Serb community in the southern province should be regarded "in a special way", and that it would have more understanding for the Serbian positions which were “reasonable and in the interest of Albanians in Kosovo and in line with Serbia's commitment to continue the talks with Pristina”. Regarding the relations with Moscow, the minister announced that Serbia and Russia would soon sign a strategic partnership agreement during the forthcoming meeting between the heads of the two states. Mrkic confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Belgrade in view of the start of construction works on the South Stream gas pipeline was being planned, but said that nothing had been specified yet and that Putin had an open invitation. Since in office, the minister has placed a special importance on the relations in the region, saying that he and his team have made contacts with every country in the region and reached more concrete agreements on the development of cooperation. Ivan Mrkic (Beta, file) Tanjug

Serbia’s priorities remain same, FM says

“We continue to tailor the position of our country so that it could develop as peacefully and easily as possible, as well as foster relations with numerous partners. Brussels is still our priority, that is well-known, but we have excellent relations with Moscow, and in recent months we have significantly improved our relations with Washington,” Mrkić told Tanjug on Wednesday.

He noted that simultaneously with the EU accession, the main national issue for Serbia was the resolution of the issue of Kosovo, adding that a policy of continuity was being pursued in that field.

According to him, partners from the EU, from the European Commission in particular, saw that Belgrade was serious and efficient in the moves it had been making based on the way in which the process unfolded.

The foreign minister preferred not to forecast whether Serbia would be granted a start date for the EU entry talks during the Irish Presidency, from January 1 to July 1, 2013, but said that the conclusions delivered by the European Council gave grounds for optimism.

“In essence, I have not read better recommendations and proposals of the European Council so far. Earlier, they always had a blackmailing approach, which was not the case this time,” Mrkić stressed.

If Serbia does not get the date during the Irish Presidency, the minister does not expect problems during the Presidency of Lithuania, the only EU member state that has yet to ratify the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia whose representative was Serbian former Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić's rival for the UN General Assembly President's office.

When it comes to the relations with Washington, the Serbian foreign minister believes that he will have “the best possible cooperation” with the newly appointed Secretary of State John Kerry, also qualifying the recent talks with Hillary Clinton in Belgrade as “substantial and useful”.

Mrkić voiced confidence that Washington recognized the fact that the Serb community in the southern province should be regarded "in a special way", and that it would have more understanding for the Serbian positions which were “reasonable and in the interest of Albanians in Kosovo and in line with Serbia's commitment to continue the talks with Priština”.

Regarding the relations with Moscow, the minister announced that Serbia and Russia would soon sign a strategic partnership agreement during the forthcoming meeting between the heads of the two states.

Mrkić confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Belgrade in view of the start of construction works on the South Stream gas pipeline was being planned, but said that nothing had been specified yet and that Putin had an open invitation.

Since in office, the minister has placed a special importance on the relations in the region, saying that he and his team have made contacts with every country in the region and reached more concrete agreements on the development of cooperation.