Kaczynski: EU's doors open to Serbia

Polish President Lech Kaczynski said in Belgrade yesterday that the doors of the EU are always open to Serbia despite the difficulties the bloc is experiencing. "The (EU's) doors opened to the Western Balkan states at the Council of Europe meeting in 2007, and it goes without saying that Serbia should travel that road," Kaczynski told reporters after a meeting with his Serbian counterpart Boris Tadic. Kaczynski: EU's doors open to Serbia Kaczynski also said the Balkans need stability, which is impossible without the support of Serbia as the biggest state in the region. He added the EU is now experiencing a crisis, but stressed that he believes the crisis will not last and that conditions for accession to the EU of Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and other countries of the region, as well as Ukraine and Georgia, will improve soon. "The policy of a divided Europe can only lead to conflict in the long term," Kaczynski said. The Polish president reiterated that Warsaw, in line with its constitutional authority, "decided to recognize Kosovo's independence, although he was against that decision". "I believe the Kosovo problem can be solved, even though it is a complicated issue. I have to say I favor the policy pursued by Serbian President Boris Tadic. We met in conditions much more difficult than these and I want to congratulate him on that," Kaczynski said. He added that he and the Serbian president also discussed energy, particularly Europe's dependence on natural gas from just one country, and highlighted the importance of a common EU energy policy that will soon include the Balkan states. President Tadic said the meeting with his Polish counterpart attests to the two countries' friendly relations. Kaczynski, Tadic (Beta)

Kaczynski: EU's doors open to Serbia

Kaczynski also said the Balkans need stability, which is impossible without the support of Serbia as the biggest state in the region.

He added the EU is now experiencing a crisis, but stressed that he believes the crisis will not last and that conditions for accession to the EU of Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and other countries of the region, as well as Ukraine and Georgia, will improve soon.

"The policy of a divided Europe can only lead to conflict in the long term," Kaczynski said.

The Polish president reiterated that Warsaw, in line with its constitutional authority, "decided to recognize Kosovo's independence, although he was against that decision".

"I believe the Kosovo problem can be solved, even though it is a complicated issue. I have to say I favor the policy pursued by Serbian President Boris Tadić. We met in conditions much more difficult than these and I want to congratulate him on that," Kaczynski said.

He added that he and the Serbian president also discussed energy, particularly Europe's dependence on natural gas from just one country, and highlighted the importance of a common EU energy policy that will soon include the Balkan states.

President Tadić said the meeting with his Polish counterpart attests to the two countries' friendly relations.