| "Serbia moving toward EU integration" |
| 20 November 2009 | 11:03
| Source:
Tanjug |
BELGRADE --
U.S. Ambassador-Designate to Serbia Mary Warlick addressed the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
This is according to a U.S. embassy in Belgrade statement on Thursday.
The following are excerpts from her address:
"Since the election of a democratic, pro-European government in 2008, Serbia has quickened its progress in overcoming the consequences of the Milošević era and moving toward its goal of full integration into Europe and European institutions."
"Under the leadership of President Boris Tadić and Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković, Serbia's government has taken important steps to implement democratic reforms and strengthen the institutions that will solidify the rule of law."
"In addition, Serbia's military services have instituted reforms that are transforming them into a modern, civilian-controlled structure, joined NATO's Partnership for Peace program, and established a robust cooperative relationship with the U.S. military, particularly with the Ohio National Guard through the State Partnership Program."
"An economically prosperous Serbia will be critical to ensuring the long-term success and stability of the Western Balkans region."
"The current government has demonstrated a strong will to take the necessary steps to address war crimes, including through the arrest and extradition to The Hague of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadžić in 2008.".
"At the same time, Serbia needs to continue its efforts to capture and hand over to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) the remaining fugitives, former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladić and Croatian Serb leader Goran Hadžić."
"On Kosovo, the United States and Serbia have agreed to disagree."
"The Administration has no realistic expectation that Serbia will recognize the Republic of Kosovo in the near future. However, we do share an interest with Serbia in improving the lives of Serbs living in Kosovo and, if confirmed, I look forward to supporting those efforts," Warlick concluded.
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