"We're with EU on everything - except on Russia"

Ivica Dacic says that, when it comes to harmonizing the country's foreign policy with the EU, Serbia "supports everything except sanctions against Russia."

Izvor: Beta

Wednesday, 13.05.2015.

11:45

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(Tanjug)

"We're with EU on everything - except on Russia"

"Serbia has committed itself to gradually harmonizing its foreign policy with the EU one and it will do so in accordance with its obligations until the moment of accession to the Union. By that time, we will increase the degree of harmonization in accordance with our interests," Dacic said.

In previous years, Serbia's harmonization amounted to 97 percent, he said, adding that the percentage dropped in the year when the crisis in Ukraine started and when Serbia said it would not introduce sanctions against Russia.

"This was the fault Milan Pajevic (former director of Serbia's EU integration office) who joined in everything that came from Brussels and then we had the 97 percent compliance. So now we have the problem of achieving that, and that is why the current drop is brutal," Dacic said jokingly.

He added that other candidate countries in the first years of harmonization with the EU "held that percentage at 60."

Dacic also told the conference that Serbia is guided by its economic and political interests in all decisions, and said that its assessment to remain neutral was good as it allowed the country to, as the chair of the OSCE, have a good relationship with all sides and work to reduce tensions Ukraine.

"Serbia wants to be an important factor in regional stability and an important partner in solving international crises.... We have accepted all EU invitations for participation in peacekeeping missions," said Dacic, adding that Serbia participates in four such mission and is "number seven in Europe and number one in region" when it comes to the number of personnel it has deployed there.

Commenting on the clash in Macedonia last weekend between the police and a terrorist group, Dacic "pointed out that it is necessary to work together to eliminate the threat of terrorism."

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