Vučić meets with Croatian top officials

ZAGREB Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic is conferring with Croatia's top officials in Zagreb on Monday. He started his first official visit to that country with a meeting with Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic. Vucic meets with Croatian top officials According to reports, they "agreed that Serbia should get a start date for EU entry talks in June." Pusic, who is also serving as the Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, said at a joint news conference following the talks with Vucic, who is also Serbia's defense minister, that Croatia supports Serbia on its path toward joining the bloc. “Croatia maintains the stance that it is absolutely necessary to grant Serbia a start date for EU accession talks in June,” Pusic said. Vucic said that the EU membership is Serbia's strategic goal and that the country's leadership expect to obtain a start date for EU entry talks in June. Speaking about cooperation between the two countries, the Croatian minister thanked Vucic for his visit which would help improve the bilateral relations which are heading in a constructive direction. The minister underlined the importance of economic cooperation between the two countries, especially in terms of Croatia's EU entry on July 1, adding that certain preparations were made to make sure that economic cooperation could develop further. Vucic said that Croatia and Serbia are key countries of the region and that their relation is essential for regional growth. We should foster relations in a rational and pragmatic way, so that they could also be better on the economic and political planes than they have been so far, Vucic said. Asked about whether Croatia and Serbia might drop the genocide lawsuits against each other, Pusic said that is extremely important issue for Croatia, underscoring that it is also important to resolve the issue of the missing people, noting that “certain progress” has been achieved with respect to that, which opens up a possibility for talks on that issue. She thanked Serbia for cooperation and information which led to the identification of the people that had gone missing in Sotin near Vukovar, eastern Croatia. Replying to the question about the lawsuits, Vucic also said that is not an easy issue, but that Serbia remains open for talks, and voiced confidence that the two countries will arrive at a common solution. According to announcements, some of the topics include "the solving of open issues from the war past", economic cooperation after Croatia's EU entry, and Serbia's EU integrations. Vucic will aslo meet with Croatian President Ivo Josipovic, Prime MInister Zoran Milanovic,Deputy Prime Minister Nevena Mimica and Defense Minister Ante Kotromanovic. Upon arriving in Zagreb late on Sunday, Vucic said that he wants to improve intergovernmental cooperation between Serbia and Croatia in a practical way. "We are doing this in the interest of our people, not because someone has asked us to do it. We do not need outbursts of emotions but rather a relationship of trust and results," he said told state television HTV. He stressed that Serbia's national leadership is united on future relations with Croatia and voiced expectation that President Tomislav Nikolic will attend the celebration of Croatia's accession to the EU in Zagreb, adding that he was "confident that Nikolic and Josipovic will have good cooperation." As Vucic put it, when it comes to bilateral relations, Serbia and Croatia need to be pragmatic in all fields, including the issue of Serbs in Croatia, missing persons and refugees, as well as promotion of cooperation in order to be able to jointly respond to international tenders. "Together we are a larger market and can attract more investors," the Serbian first deputy prime minister said. Asked whether his visit marks the end of an "ice age," Vucic said that he is not prone to historical statements, but rather to making pragmatic progress in fields important to both countries. "We have different perspectives on the past, but we need to have a shared vision of the future, considering the issues that have to be resolved," Vucic said, adding that Serbia wants to continue its EU path and that it needs to cooperate with Croatia. (Tanjug) Beta Tanjug

Vučić meets with Croatian top officials

According to reports, they "agreed that Serbia should get a start date for EU entry talks in June."

Pusić, who is also serving as the Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, said at a joint news conference following the talks with Vučić, who is also Serbia's defense minister, that Croatia supports Serbia on its path toward joining the bloc.

“Croatia maintains the stance that it is absolutely necessary to grant Serbia a start date for EU accession talks in June,” Pusić said.

Vučić said that the EU membership is Serbia's strategic goal and that the country's leadership expect to obtain a start date for EU entry talks in June.

Speaking about cooperation between the two countries, the Croatian minister thanked Vučić for his visit which would help improve the bilateral relations which are heading in a constructive direction.

The minister underlined the importance of economic cooperation between the two countries, especially in terms of Croatia's EU entry on July 1, adding that certain preparations were made to make sure that economic cooperation could develop further.

Vučić said that Croatia and Serbia are key countries of the region and that their relation is essential for regional growth.

We should foster relations in a rational and pragmatic way, so that they could also be better on the economic and political planes than they have been so far, Vučić said.

Asked about whether Croatia and Serbia might drop the genocide lawsuits against each other, Pusić said that is extremely important issue for Croatia, underscoring that it is also important to resolve the issue of the missing people, noting that “certain progress” has been achieved with respect to that, which opens up a possibility for talks on that issue.

She thanked Serbia for cooperation and information which led to the identification of the people that had gone missing in Sotin near Vukovar, eastern Croatia.

Replying to the question about the lawsuits, Vučić also said that is not an easy issue, but that Serbia remains open for talks, and voiced confidence that the two countries will arrive at a common solution.

According to announcements, some of the topics include "the solving of open issues from the war past", economic cooperation after Croatia's EU entry, and Serbia's EU integrations.

Vučić will aslo meet with Croatian President Ivo Josipović, Prime MInister Zoran Milanović,Deputy Prime Minister Nevena Mimica and Defense Minister Ante Kotromanović.

Upon arriving in Zagreb late on Sunday, Vučić said that he wants to improve intergovernmental cooperation between Serbia and Croatia in a practical way.

"We are doing this in the interest of our people, not because someone has asked us to do it. We do not need outbursts of emotions but rather a relationship of trust and results," he said told state television HTV.

He stressed that Serbia's national leadership is united on future relations with Croatia and voiced expectation that President Tomislav Nikolić will attend the celebration of Croatia's accession to the EU in Zagreb, adding that he was "confident that Nikolić and Josipović will have good cooperation."

As Vučić put it, when it comes to bilateral relations, Serbia and Croatia need to be pragmatic in all fields, including the issue of Serbs in Croatia, missing persons and refugees, as well as promotion of cooperation in order to be able to jointly respond to international tenders.

"Together we are a larger market and can attract more investors," the Serbian first deputy prime minister said.

Asked whether his visit marks the end of an "ice age," Vučić said that he is not prone to historical statements, but rather to making pragmatic progress in fields important to both countries.

"We have different perspectives on the past, but we need to have a shared vision of the future, considering the issues that have to be resolved," Vučić said, adding that Serbia wants to continue its EU path and that it needs to cooperate with Croatia.