Jeremić: Right moment to sign SAA

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic says that now is the right moment to sign the SAA, stating that it would help the entire region. Jeremic said that if Serbia signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union now, it would help build trust and guarantee security and progress throughout the entire region. Jeremic: Right moment to sign SAA “It is an opportunity that we cannot miss,” the foreign minister said. "We know from experience that integration can create a positive dynamic in favor of agreement and reconciliation, even in places where it once seemed impossible," he told the International Herald Tribune. Jeremic said that "future agreement will be easier to achieve if all of Serbia—including Kosovo—moves in unison towards the common destination of EU membership.” "With that in mind, it is important that Serbia's European future is irreversibly confirmed so that the EU becomes a new focus of unity in the western Balkans, rather than a further source of division," the foreign minister explained. "It is essential that progress towards that goal does not become blocked by the maximalist demands that make progress and agreement less likely," he stressed. "There is no successful future for Serbia in isolation from the rest of Europe. And there can be no stability and security for the western Balkans without the cooperation of a democratic Serbia," Jeremic pointed out. Serbia’s only demand is to be treated like the rest of the countries aspiring to EU membership, the foreign minister said, mentioning cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, which is a key condition for signing the SAA. “We are ready to complete all of our obligations, but we cannot accept double standards, especially in light of the scandalous acquittal of Ramush Haradinaj, a Kosovo Albanian we consider a war criminal,” Jeremic underlined. He also cited the example of Croatia being allowed to sign the SAA because all of its Hague fugitives had been extradited. The foreign minister said that only people interested in blocking European integration and Hague cooperation could benefit from such conditions. “That is not in the interests of Serbia or the EU,” Jeremic surmised. Vuk Jeremic (FoNet archive)

Jeremić: Right moment to sign SAA

“It is an opportunity that we cannot miss,” the foreign minister said.

"We know from experience that integration can create a positive dynamic in favor of agreement and reconciliation, even in places where it once seemed impossible," he told the International Herald Tribune.

Jeremić said that "future agreement will be easier to achieve if all of Serbia—including Kosovo—moves in unison towards the common destination of EU membership.”

"With that in mind, it is important that Serbia's European future is irreversibly confirmed so that the EU becomes a new focus of unity in the western Balkans, rather than a further source of division," the foreign minister explained.

"It is essential that progress towards that goal does not become blocked by the maximalist demands that make progress and agreement less likely," he stressed.

"There is no successful future for Serbia in isolation from the rest of Europe. And there can be no stability and security for the western Balkans without the cooperation of a democratic Serbia," Jeremić pointed out.

Serbia’s only demand is to be treated like the rest of the countries aspiring to EU membership, the foreign minister said, mentioning cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, which is a key condition for signing the SAA.

“We are ready to complete all of our obligations, but we cannot accept double standards, especially in light of the scandalous acquittal of Ramush Haradinaj, a Kosovo Albanian we consider a war criminal,” Jeremić underlined.

He also cited the example of Croatia being allowed to sign the SAA because all of its Hague fugitives had been extradited.

The foreign minister said that only people interested in blocking European integration and Hague cooperation could benefit from such conditions.

“That is not in the interests of Serbia or the EU,” Jeremić surmised.