French support "key for Serbia's EU integration"

President Boris Tadic said in Paris that Serbia is a modern country determined to find its place in the EU and that French support was key for that. France was crucial in modernizing the Serbian society after the democratic changes in 2000, he said, adding that he expected Serbia to get EU candidate status by the end of the year. French support "key for Serbia's EU integration" Serbia's EU integration would be faster with better support from within the union, he remarked. He hopes there will be no special conditions for Serbia to join the EU and believes the EU needs Serbia. The country has shown that it can fight organized crime and have good relations outside Europe, the president stressed, adding that Serbia is an important factor of stability in the Western Balkans. "There can be no long-term stability, sustainable development and predictable future in the region without a stable Serbia," he stated. The relations in southeastern Europe are currently the best they have been in the last 20 years, he argued. Cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) is a priority for Serbia, he pointed out. "We are doing everything to find and arrest Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic and expect the same approach and an independent investigation led by the UN when it comes to human organ trafficking in Kosovo and Albania, where most of the victims were Serbs," he emphasized. Belgrade will never recognize Kosovo's independence, but wants a sustainable solution for Kosovo and reconciliation with the Kosovo Albanians. "It is no solution to take everything from one side and give it to the other," he noted. "The Serbs in northern Kosovo do not wish to live in an independent Kosovo, while the Kosovo Albanians do not want to be a part of Serbia." Serbia supports the territorial integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina, its two political entities and three constitutional nations, he asserted, adding that solutions for that country cannot be imposed from outside. Boris Tadic (FoNet, file) Tadic confers with French parliament speaker Serbian President Boris Tadic continued on Thursday his visit to Paris by meeting with President of the French National Assembly Bernard Accoyer. Tadic was given a ceremonial welcome by Accoyer in front of the parliament's building. The Serbian president, who is on a three-day visit to France, is also scheduled to meet with French Prime Minister Francois Fillon and President of the Senate Gerard Larcher. Tadic will attend a reception at the residence of Serbian Ambassador to Paris Dusan Batakovic on Thursday evening, and a cocktail for French businessmen who are running business in Serbia. The Serbian president will confer with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy in the Elysee Palace on Friday. On the first day of his visit, Tadic met with Head of the French parlaiment's Foreign Affairs Committee Axel Poniatowski, and held a lecture entitled Serbia, France and the European Union at the Military Academy in Paris. On Wednesday evening, Tadic opened an exhibition dedicated to Serbian renowned painter Olja Ivanjicki in the Serbian Cultural Center in Paris. Tadic is also scheduled to lay wreaths at the Arc de Triomphe and the Serb military cemetery at Thiais.

French support "key for Serbia's EU integration"

Serbia's EU integration would be faster with better support from within the union, he remarked.

He hopes there will be no special conditions for Serbia to join the EU and believes the EU needs Serbia.

The country has shown that it can fight organized crime and have good relations outside Europe, the president stressed, adding that Serbia is an important factor of stability in the Western Balkans.

"There can be no long-term stability, sustainable development and predictable future in the region without a stable Serbia," he stated.

The relations in southeastern Europe are currently the best they have been in the last 20 years, he argued.

Cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) is a priority for Serbia, he pointed out.

"We are doing everything to find and arrest Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić and expect the same approach and an independent investigation led by the UN when it comes to human organ trafficking in Kosovo and Albania, where most of the victims were Serbs," he emphasized.

Belgrade will never recognize Kosovo's independence, but wants a sustainable solution for Kosovo and reconciliation with the Kosovo Albanians.

"It is no solution to take everything from one side and give it to the other," he noted. "The Serbs in northern Kosovo do not wish to live in an independent Kosovo, while the Kosovo Albanians do not want to be a part of Serbia."

Serbia supports the territorial integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina, its two political entities and three constitutional nations, he asserted, adding that solutions for that country cannot be imposed from outside.

Tadić confers with French parliament speaker

Serbian President Boris Tadić continued on Thursday his visit to Paris by meeting with President of the French National Assembly Bernard Accoyer.

Tadić was given a ceremonial welcome by Accoyer in front of the parliament's building.

The Serbian president, who is on a three-day visit to France, is also scheduled to meet with French Prime Minister Francois Fillon and President of the Senate Gerard Larcher.

Tadić will attend a reception at the residence of Serbian Ambassador to Paris Dušan Bataković on Thursday evening, and a cocktail for French businessmen who are running business in Serbia.

The Serbian president will confer with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy in the Elysee Palace on Friday.

On the first day of his visit, Tadić met with Head of the French parlaiment's Foreign Affairs Committee Axel Poniatowski, and held a lecture entitled Serbia, France and the European Union at the Military Academy in Paris.

On Wednesday evening, Tadić opened an exhibition dedicated to Serbian renowned painter Olja Ivanjicki in the Serbian Cultural Center in Paris.

Tadić is also scheduled to lay wreaths at the Arc de Triomphe and the Serb military cemetery at Thiais.