"Conflict to be solved through compromise"

Serbia is committed to reaching a compromise, through dialogue, for the historic conflict between Serbs and Albanians, Serbian President Boris Tadic stated. He warned that it would be a catastrophic mistake if anyone in the EU blackmailed Serbia into recognizing Kosovo in exchange for EU membership. "Conflict to be solved through compromise" Tadic said that his goal was resolving the historic conflict between Serbs and Albanians, which had lasted for a century and a half, through dialogue, starting with issues that can be resolved, in order to build up trust between the two sides. Answering questions by representatives of the Association of the Balkan News Agencies - Southeast Europe (ABNA-SE) member agencies, the Serbian president reiterated Serbia's stance that it would never recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo. “It would be, however, a catastrophic mistake if anyone in the EU would blackmail Serbia into recognizing Kosovo's independence in exchange for EU membership,” he said. Underlining that Serbia is committed to reaching a compromise through dialogue, Tadic pointed out that without settling this conflict neither Serbia nor Albanians had a perspective in the EU. The same applies to Western Balkans, which cannot be a region of permanent stability if the conflicts typical of 19th and 20th centuries are not resolved. Commenting on the open issues regarding the relations with the countries in the region, Tadic said that it was hard for Serbia to understand the decision of Montenegro to recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo. “The fact that Macedonia and Montenegro recognized Kosovo's independence brings into question the principle of inviolability of borders. This concerns the borders of Serbia, Tadic said emphasizing that as President he is committed to defending the borders,” the president pointed out. He underscored that Serbia did not oppose including Kosovo in regional cooperation, but only in the way that did not jeopardize Serbia' interests. Serbia will do everything to foster regional cooperation, but does not want to be used as an instrument for the creation of a new state, said Tadic. Boris Tadic (Tanjug, file) Unrealistic to expect NATO membership any time soon Tadic stated in Belgrade that the idea of Serbia obtaining NATO membership in the coming years was not realistic. He pointed out that Serbia was a member of the NATO Partnership for Peace program and that cooperation with NATO could be continued in this domain. The president repeated that Serbia had become involved in a political process aimed at NATO integration in 2000, and pointed out that Serbia had come to face a new political reality after the NATO member countries recognized Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence and participated in the forming of Kosovo security forces. Tadic pointed out that the support of Serbian citizens to the country's NATO integration had significantly diminished after this. Serbia is closely following the initiative of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev concerning a new security system in Europe, he said. He also noted that Serbia was ready to take part as a reliable partner in the peacekeeping missions worldwide. “Everything will be done to arrest Mladic” The Serbian president pointed out that if International the Hague fugitive Ratko Mladic was in Serbia, everything would be done to arrest him. “If he is not in Serbia, endeavors will also be pursued to find and arrest him and Serbia is cooperating to that end with the Hague Tribunal investigators,” he said. Since the constitution of its present government, Serbia has spared no effort to arrest Mladic and will continue to do so, Tadic pointed out. “This is not being done for the European Union or the Hague Tribunal, but for the sake of Serbia itself and its policy of regional reconciliation,” he said at a reception for the participants in the meeting of the ABNA-SE. Tadic also says that although he personally did not take part in Serbia's political life during the war, he now has the difficult task of visiting the places where war crimes had been committed. He repeated that he had already visited Srebrenica and that he intended to visit Vukovar soon. “It is my duty to close the Ratko Mladic page in history,” the president concluded. Tadic thanked the EU member states for recognizing that Serbia was doing everything to arrest Mladic.

"Conflict to be solved through compromise"

Tadić said that his goal was resolving the historic conflict between Serbs and Albanians, which had lasted for a century and a half, through dialogue, starting with issues that can be resolved, in order to build up trust between the two sides.

Answering questions by representatives of the Association of the Balkan News Agencies - Southeast Europe (ABNA-SE) member agencies, the Serbian president reiterated Serbia's stance that it would never recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo.

“It would be, however, a catastrophic mistake if anyone in the EU would blackmail Serbia into recognizing Kosovo's independence in exchange for EU membership,” he said.

Underlining that Serbia is committed to reaching a compromise through dialogue, Tadić pointed out that without settling this conflict neither Serbia nor Albanians had a perspective in the EU.

The same applies to Western Balkans, which cannot be a region of permanent stability if the conflicts typical of 19th and 20th centuries are not resolved.

Commenting on the open issues regarding the relations with the countries in the region, Tadić said that it was hard for Serbia to understand the decision of Montenegro to recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo.

“The fact that Macedonia and Montenegro recognized Kosovo's independence brings into question the principle of inviolability of borders. This concerns the borders of Serbia, Tadić said emphasizing that as President he is committed to defending the borders,” the president pointed out.

He underscored that Serbia did not oppose including Kosovo in regional cooperation, but only in the way that did not jeopardize Serbia' interests.

Serbia will do everything to foster regional cooperation, but does not want to be used as an instrument for the creation of a new state, said Tadić.

Unrealistic to expect NATO membership any time soon

Tadić stated in Belgrade that the idea of Serbia obtaining NATO membership in the coming years was not realistic.

He pointed out that Serbia was a member of the NATO Partnership for Peace program and that cooperation with NATO could be continued in this domain.

The president repeated that Serbia had become involved in a political process aimed at NATO integration in 2000, and pointed out that Serbia had come to face a new political reality after the NATO member countries recognized Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence and participated in the forming of Kosovo security forces.

Tadic pointed out that the support of Serbian citizens to the country's NATO integration had significantly diminished after this.

Serbia is closely following the initiative of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev concerning a new security system in Europe, he said.

He also noted that Serbia was ready to take part as a reliable partner in the peacekeeping missions worldwide.

“Everything will be done to arrest Mladić”

The Serbian president pointed out that if International the Hague fugitive Ratko Mladić was in Serbia, everything would be done to arrest him.

“If he is not in Serbia, endeavors will also be pursued to find and arrest him and Serbia is cooperating to that end with the Hague Tribunal investigators,” he said.

Since the constitution of its present government, Serbia has spared no effort to arrest Mladić and will continue to do so, Tadić pointed out.

“This is not being done for the European Union or the Hague Tribunal, but for the sake of Serbia itself and its policy of regional reconciliation,” he said at a reception for the participants in the meeting of the ABNA-SE.

Tadić also says that although he personally did not take part in Serbia's political life during the war, he now has the difficult task of visiting the places where war crimes had been committed.

He repeated that he had already visited Srebrenica and that he intended to visit Vukovar soon.

“It is my duty to close the Ratko Mladić page in history,” the president concluded.

Tadić thanked the EU member states for recognizing that Serbia was doing everything to arrest Mladić.