PM: Serbia aims for straight dealings in region

SARAJEVO PM and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic has said in Sarajevo that Serbia will pursue "a policy of straight dealings and straightforward relations" in the region. He also stated he believes that "the nations have already reconciled, so the politicians should follow suit." PM: Serbia aims for straight dealings in region After a meeting with Foreign Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina Zarko Lagumdzija on Thursday, Dacic said it was "time to restore confidence in our peoples and our relations." Lagumdzija said that he and Dacic had agreed to give a new impetus to bilateral relations in the coming period and open issues which have been waiting for resolution for years. "How many years, decades and centuries need to pass before we settle our relations and reconcile? I think the people have reconciled, maybe the politicians have not. It is the duty of politicians to follow what the people are thinking and Serbia will implement a policy of straight dealings and relations in the region," said Dacic. Dacic recalled Serbia was a guarantor of the Dayton Agreement which defined the Serb entity, the RS, as an equal entity in Bosnia. "Changes cannot be made to the agreement without the consent of all three nations and two entities," added Dacic. "Sarajevo should not get angry with Belgrade for its special relations with Banja Luka, nor should Banja Luka be cross with Belgrade for visits to Sarajevo, precisely because Serbia wants to have straight dealings," said Dacic. Serbia, Bosnia and other countries in the region should act like other European countries tied by common interests - membership in the EU, he added. "Our interest should be to never again have war in this region, to use our shared space as an advantage, to appear before the EU together, as a region. I am open to cooperation, I am not a man who wants to argue, to go back to the past; rather I want us to try to make a better future for ourselves, our children and our children's children," he said. In his opinion, the countries in the Balkans are closer to one another than they are to the countries which acted as arbiters in the Balkans. "Serbia will be a factor of stability in the Balkans," said Dacic. Dacic and Lagumdzija agreed that the Bosnian and Serbian foreign ministries should hold talks at the political level within the next month and voiced support for launching an operational program for resolving issues which have been pending for years. "By the end of the year, we should restart the work of the interstate cooperation council, which last met in 2005," said Lagumdzija. Dacic and Lagumdzija also agreed to set up an economic cooperation committee at a higher level, as well as a health-care committee. Ivica Dacic (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

PM: Serbia aims for straight dealings in region

After a meeting with Foreign Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina Zarko Lagumdžija on Thursday, Dačić said it was "time to restore confidence in our peoples and our relations."

Lagumdžija said that he and Dačić had agreed to give a new impetus to bilateral relations in the coming period and open issues which have been waiting for resolution for years.

"How many years, decades and centuries need to pass before we settle our relations and reconcile? I think the people have reconciled, maybe the politicians have not. It is the duty of politicians to follow what the people are thinking and Serbia will implement a policy of straight dealings and relations in the region," said Dačić.

Dačić recalled Serbia was a guarantor of the Dayton Agreement which defined the Serb entity, the RS, as an equal entity in Bosnia. "Changes cannot be made to the agreement without the consent of all three nations and two entities," added Dačić.

"Sarajevo should not get angry with Belgrade for its special relations with Banja Luka, nor should Banja Luka be cross with Belgrade for visits to Sarajevo, precisely because Serbia wants to have straight dealings," said Dačić.

Serbia, Bosnia and other countries in the region should act like other European countries tied by common interests - membership in the EU, he added.

"Our interest should be to never again have war in this region, to use our shared space as an advantage, to appear before the EU together, as a region. I am open to cooperation, I am not a man who wants to argue, to go back to the past; rather I want us to try to make a better future for ourselves, our children and our children's children," he said.

In his opinion, the countries in the Balkans are closer to one another than they are to the countries which acted as arbiters in the Balkans.

"Serbia will be a factor of stability in the Balkans," said Dačić.

Dačić and Lagumdžija agreed that the Bosnian and Serbian foreign ministries should hold talks at the political level within the next month and voiced support for launching an operational program for resolving issues which have been pending for years.

"By the end of the year, we should restart the work of the interstate cooperation council, which last met in 2005," said Lagumdžija.

Dačić and Lagumdžija also agreed to set up an economic cooperation committee at a higher level, as well as a health-care committee.