FM: Conference successful, next in Priština

FM: Conference successful, next in Priština

“The conference was marked by a positive atmosphere and it serves as an indicator of a change in the situation in the Balkans. Serbia is satisfied that it organized the conference,” Dačić told a joint news conference after the conclusion of the meeting.

Dačić noted that it also covered the issue of economic management and establishment of mutual connections in the region, adding that three important joint goals were stressed during the conference.

He noted that the Western Balkan countries want to join the EU and support each other's EU path, and underscored that this is the reason why regional stability is very important.

The incident such as the one that occurred during the Serbia-Albania football match (when a drone flew over with the flag of a Greater Albania) is an indicator pointing to the huge quantity of time necessary to achieve regional stability and the little time it takes to disrupt it, the Serbian minister of foreign affairs said.

Dačić noted that the conference gathered representatives of the Priština government and added that the meeting was organized according to the Gymnich formula which is used for representatives of Kosovo taking part in regional forums.

Dačić stated that the region is lagging behind well-developed regions in Europe and the rest of the world and added that Western Balkan countries have a joint interest in completing successful reforms in all regional countries so as to set up a healthy economic system.

The meeting was attended by Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Economic and Monetary Affairs Jyrki Katainen, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule, Special Representative of the Italian EU Presidency Andrea Orizio, and Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Goran Svilanović.

The meeting of regional foreign and economy ministers in Belgrade was arranged during the Conference on the Western Balkans in Berlin, held on August 28 at the initiative of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, which brought together leading politicians from the region.

"European event"

Outgoing EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule stated on Thursday that the informal meeting of ministers of foreign affairs and finance from Western Balkan countries was "a European and not just regional event."

Addressing Ivica Dačić during reprters following the conclusion of the meeting, Fule said that "Serbia can be proud of the conference."

He underscored that participants concluded that "enlargement benefits should be made available to Serbia and other countries in the region even before their EU accession."

"Western Balkan countries took on the obligation to file national reform programmes which will send a positive signal to investors," Fule said.

"The meeting also covered topics such as the improvement of transport and energy sectors in the region, and the EU will back Western Balkan countries on issues of policy and fund allocations," Fule said.

"The EU is ready to back better connections through donations from IPA funds to the total value of EUR 1 billion, i.e. EUR 10 billion by 2020, which means that we have finally moved on from words to deeds," Fuele noted.

Recalling that this was his last official engagement in the region, Fule "expressed gratitude to all partners in Serbia and the Western Balkans on the work they did together."

The official said that he will "leave the Western Balkans in good hands of Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Jyrki Katainen and new Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn."

"Historic"

Belgrade and Priština "should sign a peace agreement before Serbia joins the European Union," Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj said on Thursday.

"The legally binding agreement that is being referred to in the EU is nothing else but a peace agreement to us," Hoxhaj told reporters ahead of the conference, which he described as "historic."

"The process of normalizing the Belgrade-Priština ties should end with Kosovo's admission to the United Nations, which Belgrade should not be blocking," Hoxhaj added.

"The two sides should establish diplomatic relations," he said.

"Priština is ready to solve all open issues with Belgrade within three to five years," Hoxhaj said.

"The dialogue with Belgrade must not be an infinite process, but one that has a clear objective - a full normalisation of relations," he added.

Commenting on the incidents at the Serbia vs. Albaniafootball match in Belgrade, sparked by a political provocation as a drone carrying a banner with the map of a Greater Albania was flown into the stadium, Hoxhaj said that they "just demonstrated how fragile the situation in the region is."

Supported by most Western countries, primarily the United States, ethnic Albanians in the southern Serbian province unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in February 2008. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as independent, maintaining that the proclamation came in violation of its territorial integrity and sovereignty.