Biden visit is "massive opportunity"

U.S. V-P Joe Biden’s visit to Serbia is a “massive” opportunity to “reset” relations between the two countries, says a senior figure in the U.S. administration. "This is a massive opportunity to make it clear to the Serbian govt. and people that we hope to be able to press the reset button with Serbia, an opportunity to make it clear that we want a positive future for Serbia in the Euro-Atlantic community and as a leader in the region,” the official told a news conference ahead of Biden’s trip to the Balkans. Biden visit is "massive opportunity" The White House’s website states that the official said that the vice-president’s message would be that “it was hard to imagine the region’s future without Serbia playing a significant role—a future that is positive and productive.” “Clearly there are differences that we can’t resolve, particularly over Kosovo. But we believe that there is a possibility for a new beginning; to move towards closer, more constructive, more cooperative relations that can move Serbia towards the Euro-Atlantic community and institutions that go with it,” the senior official said. He added that Biden would be meeting with Serbian President Boris Tadic, the defense minister and the Serbian Army’s chief-of-staff. The vice-president would also be meeting with U.S. embassy staff, while the day would end with a dinner hosted by Tadic, with members of the government and U.S. community in Belgrade in attendance, said the same source. The official said that the fact that Obama had seen fit to dispatch Biden to the Balkans was an indicator of the administration’s wish to demonstrate that the Balkans was “a very key part” of its foreign policy. Asked whether Biden would be asking Tadic to mellow his position on Kosovo, the official said that the administration did not expect Belgrade to recognize Kosovo’s independence, adding that “we’ll have to agree to disagree.” Joe Biden (FoNet, archive)

Biden visit is "massive opportunity"

The White House’s website states that the official said that the vice-president’s message would be that “it was hard to imagine the region’s future without Serbia playing a significant role—a future that is positive and productive.”

“Clearly there are differences that we can’t resolve, particularly over Kosovo. But we believe that there is a possibility for a new beginning; to move towards closer, more constructive, more cooperative relations that can move Serbia towards the Euro-Atlantic community and institutions that go with it,” the senior official said.

He added that Biden would be meeting with Serbian President Boris Tadić, the defense minister and the Serbian Army’s chief-of-staff.

The vice-president would also be meeting with U.S. embassy staff, while the day would end with a dinner hosted by Tadić, with members of the government and U.S. community in Belgrade in attendance, said the same source.

The official said that the fact that Obama had seen fit to dispatch Biden to the Balkans was an indicator of the administration’s wish to demonstrate that the Balkans was “a very key part” of its foreign policy.

Asked whether Biden would be asking Tadić to mellow his position on Kosovo, the official said that the administration did not expect Belgrade to recognize Kosovo’s independence, adding that “we’ll have to agree to disagree.”