Solana, Serbian officials meet in Belgrade

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana began his visit to Belgrade today with a meeting with Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic. They expressed their confidence that the citizens of Serbia will soon receive good news from Brussels in regards to the visa regime liberalization. Solana, Serbian officials meet in Belgrade In a few days, you will receive very good news on the visa regime liberalization for the Serbian people, Solana said. He also said that the EU will do everything to continue to strengthen institutional relations with Serbia. Jeremic also said that the Serbian citizens "may hope for good news very soon". The minister added that he spoke to Solana about Serbia's EU future, and that Kosovo was discussed in the context of regional security. The EU foreign policy chief said after meeting with Serbia's president Boris Tadic that the EU is not complete without Serbia and that there will be no new pre-conditions for Serbia's candidacy for full EU membership. Serbia will pursue the process of stabilization and association, the sooner the better. There are no longer any pre conditions for her candidacy for EU membership, Solana said. Solana commended the Serbian government's decision to start implementing the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) unilaterally at the beginning of this year, and expressed hope that by completing cooperation with Hague Tribunal, Belgrade would create the conditions for the EU decision on unfreezing SAA. He expressed his conviction that the Serbian government will do everything to meet the last pre condition of completing cooperation with the Hague and that things will more forward more speedily. Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic also met with Solana and said that visa liberalization is important for Serbia's citizens and that good news in this regard can be expected soon. Solana commended the endeavors of Serbia's authorities for integration in European structures and coping with the recession. As regards the global recession, he said first concrete results in alleviating it might be visible after the G-20 summit in September. The Serbian government is committed to integration in European structures and to full cooperation with Hague Tribunal, Cvetkovic said. Serbia expects help from the EU and the announced visa liberalization is important for Serbia's citizens, he was quoted. He emphasized that Solana has assured him that the EU is Serbia's partner on its integration path. Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanovic said after his meeting with Solana that it is unacceptable for the Serb community in the province to have problems resolved through unilateral decisions, without the consent of the government and the Kosovo Serbs. The main topics of the talk were the issues of police, judiciary and customs, Bogdanovic told the press. Unilateral moves by anyone are not welcome and cannot resolve the problems in Kosovo, Bogdanovic and Solana agreed, according to Tanjug. "Customs are perhaps the greatest problem and it was agreed that it should be resolved in negotiations and talks, as it is unacceptable for the Serb community in the province to have the problems in Kosovo resolved through unilateral decisions, without the consent of the Serbian government and the Kosovo Serbs," Bogdanovic said. In an interview ahead of his trip, Solana said that Serbia is making "irreversible progress" toward a future in the EU. His cabinet said that the tour, that will include Pristina, and then Macedonia and Montenegro, will be an opportunity to have an exchange of opinions on regional events and issues, and relations with the EU. Solana, Cvetkovic are seen in Belgrade today (Tanjug)

Solana, Serbian officials meet in Belgrade

In a few days, you will receive very good news on the visa regime liberalization for the Serbian people, Solana said.

He also said that the EU will do everything to continue to strengthen institutional relations with Serbia.

Jeremić also said that the Serbian citizens "may hope for good news very soon".

The minister added that he spoke to Solana about Serbia's EU future, and that Kosovo was discussed in the context of regional security.

The EU foreign policy chief said after meeting with Serbia's president Boris Tadić that the EU is not complete without Serbia and that there will be no new pre-conditions for Serbia's candidacy for full EU membership.

Serbia will pursue the process of stabilization and association, the sooner the better. There are no longer any pre conditions for her candidacy for EU membership, Solana said.

Solana commended the Serbian government's decision to start implementing the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) unilaterally at the beginning of this year, and expressed hope that by completing cooperation with Hague Tribunal, Belgrade would create the conditions for the EU decision on unfreezing SAA.

He expressed his conviction that the Serbian government will do everything to meet the last pre condition of completing cooperation with the Hague and that things will more forward more speedily.

Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković also met with Solana and said that visa liberalization is important for Serbia's citizens and that good news in this regard can be expected soon.

Solana commended the endeavors of Serbia's authorities for integration in European structures and coping with the recession.

As regards the global recession, he said first concrete results in alleviating it might be visible after the G-20 summit in September.

The Serbian government is committed to integration in European structures and to full cooperation with Hague Tribunal, Cvetković said.

Serbia expects help from the EU and the announced visa liberalization is important for Serbia's citizens, he was quoted.

He emphasized that Solana has assured him that the EU is Serbia's partner on its integration path.

Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanović said after his meeting with Solana that it is unacceptable for the Serb community in the province to have problems resolved through unilateral decisions, without the consent of the government and the Kosovo Serbs.

The main topics of the talk were the issues of police, judiciary and customs, Bogdanović told the press.

Unilateral moves by anyone are not welcome and cannot resolve the problems in Kosovo, Bogdanović and Solana agreed, according to Tanjug.

"Customs are perhaps the greatest problem and it was agreed that it should be resolved in negotiations and talks, as it is unacceptable for the Serb community in the province to have the problems in Kosovo resolved through unilateral decisions, without the consent of the Serbian government and the Kosovo Serbs," Bogdanović said.

In an interview ahead of his trip, Solana said that Serbia is making "irreversible progress" toward a future in the EU.

His cabinet said that the tour, that will include Priština, and then Macedonia and Montenegro, will be an opportunity to have an exchange of opinions on regional events and issues, and relations with the EU.