| Rupel: Serbia to sign SAA in January |
| 28 December 2007 | 10:37 -> 14:40
| Source:
B92, Tanjug |
VIENNA, BELGRADE --
Dimitrij Rupel said the Kosovo resolution adopted by the Serbian parliament is for the use of local politicians.
 | Dimitrij Rupel (Tanjug)
|
The Slovenian foreign minister believes that the resolution needs to be looked at while taking into consideration the Serbian presidential elections and campaigning.
The top Slovenian diplomat also said he did not believe that Serbia wants a future outside of the European Union.
In his statement Thursday, Rupel reminded that Belgrade recently insisted to separate the questions of European integration and Kosovo’s status, adding that he did not think that Serbia has changed its mind regarding that issue.
He also said that surveys show that a majority of Serbian citizens supports European integration.
Rupel, whose country is taking over EU presidency next month, told a Vienna daily that the European Union is expected to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia in January.
“Kosovo and Serbia are two different stories. Slovenia will be a strong lawyer for Serbia. It is expected to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement as soon as January, because Serbia is important to the stability of the Balkans,” Rupel said.
G17 Plus leader and Economy Minister Mlađan Dinkić told reporters today that the SAA will be signed on January 28, and that "no misunderstandings" over this should be expected in the ruling coalition.
He also said he believes that the Kosovo resolution adopted i parliament Wednesday will not prove to be an obstacle to future EU integration.
But debates have begun over article 135 of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) which leaves Kosovo out as a part of Serbia.
After fervent discussion of the SAA content by the Serbian parliament, the text of the agreement has been published on the Serbian government's official Internet site.
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić said that the SAA does not include the territory of Kosovo, however, he stated that it has nothing to do with Kosovo's current or future status.
Article 135 of the agreement states that the SAA, once signed, will not be implemented on the territory of Kosovo, in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, without prejudging the future status of Kosovo.
Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardžić said that such an article is included in every international agreement that Serbia signs in regards to Kosovo.
Article 135 of the Stabilization and Association Agreement
This Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, to the territories in which the Treaties establishing the European Community and the European Atomic Energy Community are applied and under the conditions laid down in those Treaties, and to the territory of Serbia on the other.
The Agreement shall not apply in Kosovo which is at present under international administration pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 of 10 June 1999. This is without prejudice to the current status of Kosovo or the determination of its final status under the same Resolution.
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