Tadić wraps up two-day Montenegro visit

President Boris Tadic will today end his official visit to Montenegro, after yesterday's meeting with that country's president and prime minister. Despite reports to the contrary, the president will not open Serbia's consulate in the seaside resort of Herzeg-Novi, said his press service in Belgrade. Tadic wraps up two-day Montenegro visit Instead, Tadic met with Herzeg Novi Mayor Dejan Mandic, and was also welcomed by citizens who gathered in front of the town hall to greet him with applause, said reports. Later during the day, the president will be headed for his ancestral village of Smrijecno, where his father, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU) member Ljubomir Tadic, was born. Yesterday, Tadic met with Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic in the town of Cetinje. The two agreed that bilateral relations were moving forward, and discussed nearly all open issues between the two countries, said statements from the meeting. They particularly pointed to the importance of cooperation between Serbia and Montenegro in the process of integration in the European Union, emphasizing that the future of both countries is in the EU. As regards Kosovo, whose unilateral declaration of independence Montenegro recognized in October 2008, Tadic reiterated that Serbia will never accept independence of its province. Serbia is ready for a compromise solution and believes that, following the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), such a solution can be negotiated, he said. The president noted that Serbia "shows no understanding" for Montenegro's decision to recognize Kosovo and that this has a practical consequence, which is the question of the border. Referring to Kosovo, whose recognition by Montenegro weighed heavily on its relations with Serbia, Vujanovic said that Podgorica would be glad if Belgrade and Pristina were to reach a negotiated agreement without intransigence. This would be important for the region, he said. Montenegro and Serbia should also pursue their negotiations on dual citizenship, he said. As regards the Montenegrin community in Serbia, Vujanovic expressed his conviction that its status will be regulated as soon as possible. Tadic commented on this issue by saying that the Serb people in Montenegro are a native people. He therefore expects Montenegro to respect the rights of Serbs in a future census and that it will secure protection of Serb language and cultural heritage. The two presidents pointed to the importance of joint endeavors in fighting organized crime and emphasized the readiness of the two countries to sign an agreement on mutual extradition of persons involved in organized crime and terrorism. Serbia sincerely supports Montenegro's intention to join NATO, but remains neutral itself towards that organization, Tadic said. Tadic and Vujanovic visited the m:tel company, a phone operator in Montenegro owned by Telekom Srbija Group. The acquisition represented Serbia's largest investment in Montenegro. The two officials had a chance to visit the Telepresence Room during the tour of the company and attend a meeting between managers of the Telekom Srbija Group who were located in Belgrade, Podgorica and Banja Luka. The group comprises Telekom Srbija from Serbia, Telekom Srpska from Republika Srpska and m:tel from Montenegro. Serbia has invested about EUR 150mn in development and market positioning of the third mobile operator in Montenegro. The group has 13 million users in three countries. Their service includes mobile and landline telephony, the Internet and multimedia, said a statement. Tadic and Vujanovic in Podgorica on Thursday (Beta) "Very useful" Earlier on Thursday, Tadic met with Montenegro's Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, who said that the meeting was very useful and helped achieve better understanding and identify priorities in the relations between the two countries. Djukanovic and Tadic did not address reporters in Podgorica. Later in the afternoon, Djukanovic's cabinet issued a statement about the meeting. Tadic said he had invited Djukanovic to visit Belgrade, it was revealed. According to Djukanovic, the discussion focused on economic topics and potential for better cooperation. "Most of those improvements in cooperation referred to economy... large infrastructure projects were discussed the most," said Djukanovic. He noted that those mostly involved the Bar-Belgrade highway and a section of a road that represents a connection with Budapest, Bucharest and some other cities in central Europe. The two also talked about reconstructing the railway between Serbia and Montenegro and how to better use the countries' energy potential, according to Djukanovic. "We also touched on some open issues in the region, like the importance of finding a quick and good solution to overcome the present lack of functionality of Bosnia-Herzegovina as a country, because a stable Bosnia is in the interest of the entire region," said Djukanovic, adding that other topics concerning the region included the relations between "Serbia and Kosovo and between Macedonia and Greece".

Tadić wraps up two-day Montenegro visit

Instead, Tadić met with Herzeg Novi Mayor Dejan Mandić, and was also welcomed by citizens who gathered in front of the town hall to greet him with applause, said reports.

Later during the day, the president will be headed for his ancestral village of Smriječno, where his father, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU) member Ljubomir Tadić, was born.

Yesterday, Tadić met with Montenegrin President Filip Vujanović in the town of Cetinje.

The two agreed that bilateral relations were moving forward, and discussed nearly all open issues between the two countries, said statements from the meeting.

They particularly pointed to the importance of cooperation between Serbia and Montenegro in the process of integration in the European Union, emphasizing that the future of both countries is in the EU.

As regards Kosovo, whose unilateral declaration of independence Montenegro recognized in October 2008, Tadić reiterated that Serbia will never accept independence of its province.

Serbia is ready for a compromise solution and believes that, following the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), such a solution can be negotiated, he said.

The president noted that Serbia "shows no understanding" for Montenegro's decision to recognize Kosovo and that this has a practical consequence, which is the question of the border.

Referring to Kosovo, whose recognition by Montenegro weighed heavily on its relations with Serbia, Vujanović said that Podgorica would be glad if Belgrade and Priština were to reach a negotiated agreement without intransigence.

This would be important for the region, he said.

Montenegro and Serbia should also pursue their negotiations on dual citizenship, he said.

As regards the Montenegrin community in Serbia, Vujanović expressed his conviction that its status will be regulated as soon as possible. Tadić commented on this issue by saying that the Serb people in Montenegro are a native people.

He therefore expects Montenegro to respect the rights of Serbs in a future census and that it will secure protection of Serb language and cultural heritage.

The two presidents pointed to the importance of joint endeavors in fighting organized crime and emphasized the readiness of the two countries to sign an agreement on mutual extradition of persons involved in organized crime and terrorism.

Serbia sincerely supports Montenegro's intention to join NATO, but remains neutral itself towards that organization, Tadić said.

Tadić and Vujanović visited the m:tel company, a phone operator in Montenegro owned by Telekom Srbija Group. The acquisition represented Serbia's largest investment in Montenegro.

The two officials had a chance to visit the Telepresence Room during the tour of the company and attend a meeting between managers of the Telekom Srbija Group who were located in Belgrade, Podgorica and Banja Luka.

The group comprises Telekom Srbija from Serbia, Telekom Srpska from Republika Srpska and m:tel from Montenegro.

Serbia has invested about EUR 150mn in development and market positioning of the third mobile operator in Montenegro.

The group has 13 million users in three countries. Their service includes mobile and landline telephony, the Internet and multimedia, said a statement.

"Very useful"

Earlier on Thursday, Tadić met with Montenegro's Prime Minister Milo Đukanović, who said that the meeting was very useful and helped achieve better understanding and identify priorities in the relations between the two countries.

Đukanović and Tadić did not address reporters in Podgorica. Later in the afternoon, Đukanović's cabinet issued a statement about the meeting.

Tadić said he had invited Đukanović to visit Belgrade, it was revealed.

According to Đukanović, the discussion focused on economic topics and potential for better cooperation.

"Most of those improvements in cooperation referred to economy... large infrastructure projects were discussed the most," said Đukanović.

He noted that those mostly involved the Bar-Belgrade highway and a section of a road that represents a connection with Budapest, Bucharest and some other cities in central Europe. The two also talked about reconstructing the railway between Serbia and Montenegro and how to better use the countries' energy potential, according to Đukanović.

"We also touched on some open issues in the region, like the importance of finding a quick and good solution to overcome the present lack of functionality of Bosnia-Herzegovina as a country, because a stable Bosnia is in the interest of the entire region," said Đukanović, adding that other topics concerning the region included the relations between "Serbia and Kosovo and between Macedonia and Greece".