Govt. has no plans for "good neighborly" statement

BELGRADE Despite Germany's hardline stance, the Serbian government is not preparing a statement about "the normalization and good neighborly relations" with Kosovo. This is according to the Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti, which is quoting unnamed top government sources. Govt. has no plans for "good neighborly" statement They also said that Germany has made a "firm" demand that Belgrade and Pristina should sign a joint statement before Serbia starts its EU accession talks, while "the two countries" should also verify a contract on "good neighborly relations" before that process is over. Kosovo's ethnic Albanians in early 2008 unilaterally declared independence, but Serbia rejects that proclamation. The newspaper writes today that Serbian officials were "clearly let know" by the Germans "that their demands must not be ignored - because the decision on the start of EU membership talks must be made unanimously by the European Council, while Germany is tied to the decisions of its parliament". "For this reason, it is not of decisive importance what the EU is proposing, because the German parliament also has a say," the article stated. Deputy PM in charge of EU integration Suzana Grubjesic told the daily that she "did not take for granted" this type of scenario "on our way to toward the European family": "I won't deal with hints, but with official documents of the European Commission and the European Council. They are available on the websites of both institutions and they do not contain an official condition regarding the signing of a statement with Pristina." The newspaper further reports that it learned from the EU administration in Brussels that in its report, expected to be published in mid-October, the EC should state that it could recommend giving Serbia a negotiations date as soon as the "only key condition, the normalization of relations with Pristina, has been fulfilled". "That means that, as soon as visible signs are noticed that this condition is being fulfilled, the European Council could be asked to decide on determining a date for the start of negotiations, while this formulation would avoid protracting the whole thing until the fall of 2013 - but everything depends on the continuation of the dialogue," writes Vecernje Novosti. Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on EU Integrations Milica Delevic commented to say that Brussels "already clearly listed the moves that they want to see Serbia make": "The EU's decision for the Belgrade-Pristina relations to be normalized to a degree is also clear. In its upcoming report, the EC will certainly stated what it expects when the (Kosovo) dialogue continues." Vecernje novosti

Govt. has no plans for "good neighborly" statement

They also said that Germany has made a "firm" demand that Belgrade and Priština should sign a joint statement before Serbia starts its EU accession talks, while "the two countries" should also verify a contract on "good neighborly relations" before that process is over.

Kosovo's ethnic Albanians in early 2008 unilaterally declared independence, but Serbia rejects that proclamation.

The newspaper writes today that Serbian officials were "clearly let know" by the Germans "that their demands must not be ignored - because the decision on the start of EU membership talks must be made unanimously by the European Council, while Germany is tied to the decisions of its parliament".

"For this reason, it is not of decisive importance what the EU is proposing, because the German parliament also has a say," the article stated.

Deputy PM in charge of EU integration Suzana Grubješić told the daily that she "did not take for granted" this type of scenario "on our way to toward the European family":

"I won't deal with hints, but with official documents of the European Commission and the European Council. They are available on the websites of both institutions and they do not contain an official condition regarding the signing of a statement with Priština."

The newspaper further reports that it learned from the EU administration in Brussels that in its report, expected to be published in mid-October, the EC should state that it could recommend giving Serbia a negotiations date as soon as the "only key condition, the normalization of relations with Priština, has been fulfilled".

"That means that, as soon as visible signs are noticed that this condition is being fulfilled, the European Council could be asked to decide on determining a date for the start of negotiations, while this formulation would avoid protracting the whole thing until the fall of 2013 - but everything depends on the continuation of the dialogue," writes Večernje Novosti.

Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on EU Integrations Milica Delević commented to say that Brussels "already clearly listed the moves that they want to see Serbia make":

"The EU's decision for the Belgrade-Priština relations to be normalized to a degree is also clear. In its upcoming report, the EC will certainly stated what it expects when the (Kosovo) dialogue continues."