“Clinton wants to support dialogue”

The U.S. secretary of state wants to encourage Belgrade and Pristina’s dialogue and support Serbia’s EU accession, said former Serbian ambassador to the U.S. Former Serbian Ambassador to the U.S. Ivan Vujacic says that he is convinced that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s main message during her upcoming visit to the region will be about beginning of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. “Clinton wants to support dialogue” “Focus on the dialogue of Belgrade and Pristina which she will encourage will probably be in the first place. Also situation in Bosnia and U.S. support to Serbia’s European integrations will probably be talked about,” the former ambassador explained. He thinks that after the joint resolution of the EU and Serbia on Kosovo in the UN General Assembly, Clinton will during her visit “underline U.S. partnership with the EU which will be the main sponsor or mediator in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina”. Vujacic has repeated that the U.S. wants the dialogue to begin as soon as possible and that so-called life and technical issues are discussed but that political turbulences on the Albanian side after Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu’s resignation are representing a problem. “I think that she will look to encourage encompassing of the process in Pristina so the dialogue could start and this will probably be her central message to them,” he said. According to the former ambassador, Clinton’s main message to Bosnia-Herzegovina will probably be about the need for changes so the country’s EU integration would improve. “Support to a European orientation of Serbia’s leadership which was expressed with the resolution (on Kosovo in the UN) will be given in Serbia, too,” he pointed out. The former ambassador does not expect that U.S. secretary of state’s messages in Belgrade will affect the Netherlands’ position on continuation of Serbia’s EU integration and forwarding of Serbia’s EU application to the European Commission (EC). “I think that this time the Netherlands will follow not what Hillary Clinton will recommend but EU member states.” He believes that it is “hard for one country to ignore the opinion of other 26 countries especially because this is not a turning point” and that there is a series of steps that the Dutch could use to condition Serbia’s progress toward the EU again. “I think that the Netherlands will give the green light this time under the impression that all other countries are united,” he explained. Vujacic also expects Washington to leave a leading role in the upcoming dialogue up to Brussels. “Considering that this is about partnership relation between the U.S. and EU, the U.S. will let the EU play the main role here. In the end, this is geographically Europe and Serbia’s main path is outlined toward the EU. Therefore, Hillary Clinton will express her support to European aspirations,” the former ambassador stressed. He also pointed out that “it is important for the U.S. to participate in the process, not only in order to support the EU”. “I think that it is also important for us that the U.S. is in it because it has a great authority over the Albanian side, they can help the Albanian side accept something they wouldn’t accept so easily in the U.S. absence,” he explained. Clinton will visit Sarajevo, Belgrade and Pristina from October 11 until October 14 and will then travel to Brussels. Hillary Clinton (Beta)

“Clinton wants to support dialogue”

“Focus on the dialogue of Belgrade and Priština which she will encourage will probably be in the first place. Also situation in Bosnia and U.S. support to Serbia’s European integrations will probably be talked about,” the former ambassador explained.

He thinks that after the joint resolution of the EU and Serbia on Kosovo in the UN General Assembly, Clinton will during her visit “underline U.S. partnership with the EU which will be the main sponsor or mediator in the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština”.

Vujačić has repeated that the U.S. wants the dialogue to begin as soon as possible and that so-called life and technical issues are discussed but that political turbulences on the Albanian side after Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu’s resignation are representing a problem.

“I think that she will look to encourage encompassing of the process in Priština so the dialogue could start and this will probably be her central message to them,” he said.

According to the former ambassador, Clinton’s main message to Bosnia-Herzegovina will probably be about the need for changes so the country’s EU integration would improve.

“Support to a European orientation of Serbia’s leadership which was expressed with the resolution (on Kosovo in the UN) will be given in Serbia, too,” he pointed out.

The former ambassador does not expect that U.S. secretary of state’s messages in Belgrade will affect the Netherlands’ position on continuation of Serbia’s EU integration and forwarding of Serbia’s EU application to the European Commission (EC).

“I think that this time the Netherlands will follow not what Hillary Clinton will recommend but EU member states.”

He believes that it is “hard for one country to ignore the opinion of other 26 countries especially because this is not a turning point” and that there is a series of steps that the Dutch could use to condition Serbia’s progress toward the EU again.

“I think that the Netherlands will give the green light this time under the impression that all other countries are united,” he explained.

Vujačić also expects Washington to leave a leading role in the upcoming dialogue up to Brussels.

“Considering that this is about partnership relation between the U.S. and EU, the U.S. will let the EU play the main role here. In the end, this is geographically Europe and Serbia’s main path is outlined toward the EU. Therefore, Hillary Clinton will express her support to European aspirations,” the former ambassador stressed.

He also pointed out that “it is important for the U.S. to participate in the process, not only in order to support the EU”.

“I think that it is also important for us that the U.S. is in it because it has a great authority over the Albanian side, they can help the Albanian side accept something they wouldn’t accept so easily in the U.S. absence,” he explained.

Clinton will visit Sarajevo, Belgrade and Priština from October 11 until October 14 and will then travel to Brussels.