Jeremić invites Dutch counterpart to Serbia

FM Vuk Jeremic says his Dutch counterpart Maxime Verhagen has accepted an invitation to visit Belgrade, and "offered his support to Serbia joining the EU". After meeting with ministers from Great Britain, Germany, Romania and other EU countries in Brussels, Jeremic said that he received confirmation of EU's readiness to help Serbia achieve the priority goal of becoming a candidate for EU membership by the end of 2009. Jeremic invites Dutch counterpart to Serbia Jeremic said that he will be meeting the “big three” EU ministers and stressed the importance of abolishing the visa regime for Serbian citizens. He said that “in a political sense, it is a large step towards achieving the strategic priorities of Serbia,” which is ultimately EU membership. In talks with Verhagen, Jeremic said, “we understand what represents the obstacle for Holland to agree on unfreezing the interim trade agreement between the EU and Serbia,” but added that “it is important for Holland to be ready, along with the other EU member-states and Serbia, to put in maximum efforts for overcoming the current problems." Holland is the country that is not allowing an association agreement between Serbia and the EU to take effect until Serbia arrests and extradites Hague fugitive Ratko Mladic. The first meeting of the year for the European Union Council of Ministers began in Brussels today. Before leaving for Brussels, Jeremic said that Serbia has an ambitious plan—to obtain candidate status this year and to begin negotiations for entering the EU in the first half of 2010.

Jeremić invites Dutch counterpart to Serbia

Jeremić said that he will be meeting the “big three” EU ministers and stressed the importance of abolishing the visa regime for Serbian citizens.

He said that “in a political sense, it is a large step towards achieving the strategic priorities of Serbia,” which is ultimately EU membership.

In talks with Verhagen, Jeremić said, “we understand what represents the obstacle for Holland to agree on unfreezing the interim trade agreement between the EU and Serbia,” but added that “it is important for Holland to be ready, along with the other EU member-states and Serbia, to put in maximum efforts for overcoming the current problems."

Holland is the country that is not allowing an association agreement between Serbia and the EU to take effect until Serbia arrests and extradites Hague fugitive Ratko Mladić.

The first meeting of the year for the European Union Council of Ministers began in Brussels today.

Before leaving for Brussels, Jeremić said that Serbia has an ambitious plan—to obtain candidate status this year and to begin negotiations for entering the EU in the first half of 2010.