Belgian MFA: "SAA in fact status neutral"

"Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht told Tanjug last night that Brussels believed it had signed the SAA last week with Serbia, without Kosovo."

And foreign ministers of Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Malta, Czech Republic believe, they signed the SAA last week with Serbia including autonomous province of Kosovo.

This is a pretty dangerous comment actually because it has two meanings - very easy to confuse:

a) Brussels is the capital of Belgium. As far as the opinion of Belgian F.M., he may have it and express it. Since Belgium recognized Kosovo independence, as good or as bad as it is - this is in line with Belgium's policy.

b) Brussels is associated with E.U. as whole. E.U. as whole DID NOT recognize Kosovo and won't do that even if Serbia and Russia recognizes it - because of Cyprus. Current E.U. politics are: it's up to member states to decide. Karel De Gucht has no authority to say, what Cyprus does think.

Besides, this clearly shows, Karel De Gucht is an IDIOT. I know, it's a strong word but he deserves it. Again: he is an IDIOT. With his comment he is working AGAINST any Serb-Albanian solution and only infuriates the Serbs and helps Nikolic. With such politicians like Karel De Gucht in power, I don't think Hungarians, Serbs, Albanians should be ashamed of their own idiots in government. Thumbs down.

Now, of course it might be, this was done BY PURPOSE to test the Serbs (and by proxy Russians). Why PRECISELY the foreign minister of such "important" E.U. country said that? Why not France, Germany, etc. - that would bear more weight. The answer could be: to create confusion between "Brussels as capital of Belgium" and "Brussels as associated with E.U.". The answer should be the usual black-mail: "clear the confusion and give more carrots - otherwise Nikolic will come and Siberian Brown Bears will walk on the streets of Brussels".

My guess is, like many other bureaucrats, Mr. De Gucht develops a stinky brown stain on the backside of his pants every time Nikolic and Brown Bears are mentioned. Tadic should mention them more often and carrots will come.

The Belgians and the Dutch...what a people. I can tell you all about them because I lived in Holland for 15 years. But the story isn't worth the time.
Nobody should underestimate the obnoxiousness of the European interest and politics. Serbia still have to mature in it -learn so much about the world around it, to become less sensitive to provocation, not to take things emotionally but to react back instantly and furiously nonetheless.Tadic should have reacted immediately to this brainless flap by demanding explanation and excuse! One can't achieve much in Europe by 'applying' dignified silence.
Probably it is too early for Serbia in the EU anyway. It is very good that SAA is signed for now,just to get the taste of what it is all about and what is there Serbia to give up if it wants to join Europe. And to attract the investor of two.
For the rest (I am consoling myself) Serbia should work on reconciliation of their citisens over Kosovo, but not only about it. I think the gap among the people isn't real
:some parties think we should be 'Europe' which we are not; others think we are 'Russians', which we are not.
We are something in between all that and if one politician
can grasp that, maybe some day soon our country will be unified.
Boris Tadic in my opinion comes close to the image of a Perfect Serbian President, and he would be a lot more loved by the all if Europe wouldn't undermine his efforts by their brainless and infantile politics.
As someone who lives in the West I would like to say that Serbia should definitely come as close to Europe as it can, because that is the only way not to be pushed around by them as a dog (the situation we are experiencing for last 15 years). It is just a political\economical necessity
to belong to a horde. But also keep being critical and prepared for ups and downs just like this phenomenal guy from Belgium who says something stupid, probably just for the fun of it.
They really didn't want Serbia to sign SAA, and they will use every opportunity to rub it in our nose.
Redicilous- yes- but not really a reason to worry.And be prepared- there is a lot more of this stuff to come!

All the countries that have already recognized Kosovo obviously think as the Belgian FM
The difference is that they will speak as the Belgians only after the election....

Thumbs up, Veki! I am not Serb, just a 100% Yank, 50% Hungarian and 50% Russian who will work in BG from this Summer hopefully many-many years. So I am affected. I can't agree more, but one thing has to be said. Tadic alone is not enough. You (we?) need a very strong Nikolic who with "his" Russians will menace over these idiots like the sword of Domocles. I certainly would never vote for any party which has the name "Radical". But in this case Nikolic is the man who does allow Tadic play the "good cop-bad cop" game.

There is of course a downside: this black-mail game works the best if there is a permanent danger, Radicals will come to power which means government crisis and government being half-functional.

Solution: form a LDP-DS-SRS government. It's a bizarre and crazy idea but this way Serbs will "abuse" the brainless, paranoic russofobia of some E.U. bureaucrats and carrots won't stop to come.

@luigi: I am not sure, these governments are CAPABLE of thinking. Thinking requires more brain than they demonstrate so far. Of course such ideas are afloat... but if Serbs play the bad cop-good cop game AFTER election as well and actually master it, the situation will improve. From certain degree, of course: E.U. will be VERY flexible and carrots will come. ;-) The air won't improve, the said stinky brown stain on their pants will be permanent.

Hopefully, Tadic and Nikolic with the time will master how to play the "give me more carrots otherwise we unleash that brown bear" game.

Maks

At least you admit that Kosovo's independence isn't real so I'll give you some credit.

Now as for the SAA being status neutral, this disadvantages Serbia when the majority of EU nations have recognised their occupation.

So soon the SAA will be status nothing come May 11th. That is the only way it can benefit Serbia.

Belgiums are so famous for their jokes, another one for their endless collection....

Article 135 of the SAA (initialled in november 2007)says: "The Agreement shall not apply in Kosovo ... This is without prejudice to the current status of Kosovo ...". But the current status of Kosovo (may 2008) is changed from the point of view of the EU itself, with the launch of EULEX finalized to the State-building of Kosovo as an independent State as the Constitution came into force the next Month. So, de facto, the actual SAA says only: "The Agreement shall not apply in Kosovo" and that's all. The EU is a unique authority: the same have launched EULEX and signed the SAA. So it's a terrible mistake that the Serbian President have signed this SAA; see the new statement of Condoleeza Rice in London ("Serbia has signed the SAA with the EU, so we have two separate countries...") and the new recognition, just today, of the independence of Kosovo by Lithuanian Parliament. The Belgian FM is naive, but no fool: he says what the others EU member States only think (within the May 11 election).

I bet like most of the rest of Europe's people Tadic won't be showing you this.

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=zSjt4JEOpPs&eurl=http://snoedel.punt.nl/?gr=476770

This is the EUSSR. This is the media censorship that goes with it. This is what happens when you join. You are trapped in a dictatorship of the elite and the NWO.
BE FREE. Be aligned with the future.What a joke.

De Gucht is only confirming the obvious : the SAA implies Serbia without Kosovo, just what Kostunica and Nikolic were stating all along. Too bad for our Kultur
Traegers and their fifteen midget parties.
The Serbs have a saying: 'A lie has short legs'. The SAA
beats all records, it was a lie without legs at all. Practically stillborn.

Firs they put veto..,than they pull it out..,Holland - same...Now they'll sacrifice their own politician because of future "isolated" Serbia...At the same time BIH & Albania are krying for same SAA all the time...All we get with that SAA is place in bucher's line..Get rid of it,sooner - better!! And..,Belgium, you should honor Minister Karel De Gucht, he lie lesser than rest of EU politicians!!

Give our SAA to others they wait for cheap-EU garbage supermarkets so badly...,and leave that man alone!!

“My understanding is that we’ve only signed the agreement with Serbia itself, without Kosovo,” said De Gucht.
WITHOUT KOSOVO, WITHOUT KOSOVO.
Can that be more clear? Without Kosovo because Kosovo will sign SAA at least one year from June 15, when independence will real and when Serbia will get over the obscure nationalism.

rolerkoster, is that the best you can come up with? I am a proud Serbian and a Serbian citizen and will express my opinion on what I see best for Serbia.

Yes, I live in the EU and I can see that Serbia can do well out of it. It is not the be all and end all.

As for Googling ZK UK, I have no idea what your point would be. I see nothing interesting there apart from some previous B92 posts and mathematical formulae.

Milan, at this point I don't think, signing SAA was a mistake. I think, it gives a lot of opportunity for push later on. It's like a game when two people look in each other eye and who blinks first - loses. E.U. did blink first because with SAA they demonstrated a good amount of russofobia, so Serbs know what is the weak point to explore later. Let's see, am I right or not. I predict a long, painful way and long, painful crisis in the government where neither party can overwhelm the other. This would be a pure nightmare for E.U. because they will try to influence the outcome - and pay dearly. I am not the Oracle of Delphoi and there is no guarantee, I am right. It's just my gut feeling.

As for Rice - she is not relevant anymore. Few more months and she is out (good riddance!). Wish her happiness and prosperity in her private life and no more politics!

So soon the SAA will be status nothing come May 11th. That is the only way it can benefit Serbia.
(ZK UK, 6 May 2008 22:08)

it is always funny to read such comments from Serbs who fully benefit from living inside the EU. great theatre! if you like to read more of this kind of jokes, google for "ZK UK" and read his comments about presidential elections.

“My understanding is that we’ve only signed the agreement with Serbia itself, without Kosovo,” said De Gucht.
WITHOUT KOSOVO, WITHOUT KOSOVO.
Can that be more clear? Without Kosovo because Kosovo will sign SAA at least one year from June 15, when independence will real and when Serbia will get over the obscure nationalism.

"Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht told Tanjug last night that Brussels believed it had signed the SAA last week with Serbia, without Kosovo."

And foreign ministers of Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Malta, Czech Republic believe, they signed the SAA last week with Serbia including autonomous province of Kosovo.

This is a pretty dangerous comment actually because it has two meanings - very easy to confuse:

a) Brussels is the capital of Belgium. As far as the opinion of Belgian F.M., he may have it and express it. Since Belgium recognized Kosovo independence, as good or as bad as it is - this is in line with Belgium's policy.

b) Brussels is associated with E.U. as whole. E.U. as whole DID NOT recognize Kosovo and won't do that even if Serbia and Russia recognizes it - because of Cyprus. Current E.U. politics are: it's up to member states to decide. Karel De Gucht has no authority to say, what Cyprus does think.

Besides, this clearly shows, Karel De Gucht is an IDIOT. I know, it's a strong word but he deserves it. Again: he is an IDIOT. With his comment he is working AGAINST any Serb-Albanian solution and only infuriates the Serbs and helps Nikolic. With such politicians like Karel De Gucht in power, I don't think Hungarians, Serbs, Albanians should be ashamed of their own idiots in government. Thumbs down.

Now, of course it might be, this was done BY PURPOSE to test the Serbs (and by proxy Russians). Why PRECISELY the foreign minister of such "important" E.U. country said that? Why not France, Germany, etc. - that would bear more weight. The answer could be: to create confusion between "Brussels as capital of Belgium" and "Brussels as associated with E.U.". The answer should be the usual black-mail: "clear the confusion and give more carrots - otherwise Nikolic will come and Siberian Brown Bears will walk on the streets of Brussels".

My guess is, like many other bureaucrats, Mr. De Gucht develops a stinky brown stain on the backside of his pants every time Nikolic and Brown Bears are mentioned. Tadic should mention them more often and carrots will come.

Belgiums are so famous for their jokes, another one for their endless collection....

The Belgians and the Dutch...what a people. I can tell you all about them because I lived in Holland for 15 years. But the story isn't worth the time.
Nobody should underestimate the obnoxiousness of the European interest and politics. Serbia still have to mature in it -learn so much about the world around it, to become less sensitive to provocation, not to take things emotionally but to react back instantly and furiously nonetheless.Tadic should have reacted immediately to this brainless flap by demanding explanation and excuse! One can't achieve much in Europe by 'applying' dignified silence.
Probably it is too early for Serbia in the EU anyway. It is very good that SAA is signed for now,just to get the taste of what it is all about and what is there Serbia to give up if it wants to join Europe. And to attract the investor of two.
For the rest (I am consoling myself) Serbia should work on reconciliation of their citisens over Kosovo, but not only about it. I think the gap among the people isn't real
:some parties think we should be 'Europe' which we are not; others think we are 'Russians', which we are not.
We are something in between all that and if one politician
can grasp that, maybe some day soon our country will be unified.
Boris Tadic in my opinion comes close to the image of a Perfect Serbian President, and he would be a lot more loved by the all if Europe wouldn't undermine his efforts by their brainless and infantile politics.
As someone who lives in the West I would like to say that Serbia should definitely come as close to Europe as it can, because that is the only way not to be pushed around by them as a dog (the situation we are experiencing for last 15 years). It is just a political\economical necessity
to belong to a horde. But also keep being critical and prepared for ups and downs just like this phenomenal guy from Belgium who says something stupid, probably just for the fun of it.
They really didn't want Serbia to sign SAA, and they will use every opportunity to rub it in our nose.
Redicilous- yes- but not really a reason to worry.And be prepared- there is a lot more of this stuff to come!

All the countries that have already recognized Kosovo obviously think as the Belgian FM
The difference is that they will speak as the Belgians only after the election....

Thumbs up, Veki! I am not Serb, just a 100% Yank, 50% Hungarian and 50% Russian who will work in BG from this Summer hopefully many-many years. So I am affected. I can't agree more, but one thing has to be said. Tadic alone is not enough. You (we?) need a very strong Nikolic who with "his" Russians will menace over these idiots like the sword of Domocles. I certainly would never vote for any party which has the name "Radical". But in this case Nikolic is the man who does allow Tadic play the "good cop-bad cop" game.

There is of course a downside: this black-mail game works the best if there is a permanent danger, Radicals will come to power which means government crisis and government being half-functional.

Solution: form a LDP-DS-SRS government. It's a bizarre and crazy idea but this way Serbs will "abuse" the brainless, paranoic russofobia of some E.U. bureaucrats and carrots won't stop to come.

@luigi: I am not sure, these governments are CAPABLE of thinking. Thinking requires more brain than they demonstrate so far. Of course such ideas are afloat... but if Serbs play the bad cop-good cop game AFTER election as well and actually master it, the situation will improve. From certain degree, of course: E.U. will be VERY flexible and carrots will come. ;-) The air won't improve, the said stinky brown stain on their pants will be permanent.

Hopefully, Tadic and Nikolic with the time will master how to play the "give me more carrots otherwise we unleash that brown bear" game.

Article 135 of the SAA (initialled in november 2007)says: "The Agreement shall not apply in Kosovo ... This is without prejudice to the current status of Kosovo ...". But the current status of Kosovo (may 2008) is changed from the point of view of the EU itself, with the launch of EULEX finalized to the State-building of Kosovo as an independent State as the Constitution came into force the next Month. So, de facto, the actual SAA says only: "The Agreement shall not apply in Kosovo" and that's all. The EU is a unique authority: the same have launched EULEX and signed the SAA. So it's a terrible mistake that the Serbian President have signed this SAA; see the new statement of Condoleeza Rice in London ("Serbia has signed the SAA with the EU, so we have two separate countries...") and the new recognition, just today, of the independence of Kosovo by Lithuanian Parliament. The Belgian FM is naive, but no fool: he says what the others EU member States only think (within the May 11 election).

I bet like most of the rest of Europe's people Tadic won't be showing you this.

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=zSjt4JEOpPs&eurl=http://snoedel.punt.nl/?gr=476770

This is the EUSSR. This is the media censorship that goes with it. This is what happens when you join. You are trapped in a dictatorship of the elite and the NWO.
BE FREE. Be aligned with the future.What a joke.

De Gucht is only confirming the obvious : the SAA implies Serbia without Kosovo, just what Kostunica and Nikolic were stating all along. Too bad for our Kultur
Traegers and their fifteen midget parties.
The Serbs have a saying: 'A lie has short legs'. The SAA
beats all records, it was a lie without legs at all. Practically stillborn.

Maks

At least you admit that Kosovo's independence isn't real so I'll give you some credit.

Now as for the SAA being status neutral, this disadvantages Serbia when the majority of EU nations have recognised their occupation.

So soon the SAA will be status nothing come May 11th. That is the only way it can benefit Serbia.

Firs they put veto..,than they pull it out..,Holland - same...Now they'll sacrifice their own politician because of future "isolated" Serbia...At the same time BIH & Albania are krying for same SAA all the time...All we get with that SAA is place in bucher's line..Get rid of it,sooner - better!! And..,Belgium, you should honor Minister Karel De Gucht, he lie lesser than rest of EU politicians!!

Give our SAA to others they wait for cheap-EU garbage supermarkets so badly...,and leave that man alone!!

Milan, at this point I don't think, signing SAA was a mistake. I think, it gives a lot of opportunity for push later on. It's like a game when two people look in each other eye and who blinks first - loses. E.U. did blink first because with SAA they demonstrated a good amount of russofobia, so Serbs know what is the weak point to explore later. Let's see, am I right or not. I predict a long, painful way and long, painful crisis in the government where neither party can overwhelm the other. This would be a pure nightmare for E.U. because they will try to influence the outcome - and pay dearly. I am not the Oracle of Delphoi and there is no guarantee, I am right. It's just my gut feeling.

As for Rice - she is not relevant anymore. Few more months and she is out (good riddance!). Wish her happiness and prosperity in her private life and no more politics!

So soon the SAA will be status nothing come May 11th. That is the only way it can benefit Serbia.
(ZK UK, 6 May 2008 22:08)

it is always funny to read such comments from Serbs who fully benefit from living inside the EU. great theatre! if you like to read more of this kind of jokes, google for "ZK UK" and read his comments about presidential elections.

rolerkoster, is that the best you can come up with? I am a proud Serbian and a Serbian citizen and will express my opinion on what I see best for Serbia.

Yes, I live in the EU and I can see that Serbia can do well out of it. It is not the be all and end all.

As for Googling ZK UK, I have no idea what your point would be. I see nothing interesting there apart from some previous B92 posts and mathematical formulae.