Defense minister confers with Czech counterpart

Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac conferred Tuesday with his Czech counterpart Alexandr Vondra at the start of his one-day visit to the Czech Republic. Alexandr Vondra stated on after the meeting that there is no reason to condition Serbia's EU candidate status with Kosovo or any other issue given that the positive opinion by the European Commission was presented late in 2011, and that is enough for the Czech Republic to support the continuation of Serbia's EU integration process. Defense minister confers with Czech counterpart Vondra reiterated after a meeting with Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac the Czech Republic's unwavering support to Serbia, and commended the reforms that Belgrade carried out, particularly the one in the Defense system. We support Serbia at the moment, and we will just as well support it in March, Vondra said. When asked by Tanjug whether Serbia has met all criteria for the EU candidate status, Vondra said that Serbia met all preconditions late in 2011 which was confirmed by the opinion of the European Commission. As far as candidacy is concerned, there are no pressures or preconditions coming from the Czech Republic. We have simply read the opinion of the European Commission late in 2011, and expressed support to Serbia's candidacy status just as we support it now, Vondra said. He highlighted Serbia's success in the Defense system reform. We are impressed with Serbia's results in the reforms of the military and Defense system in the last few years, Vondra said. Sutanovac told Tanjug that the Czech Republic supports Serbia's EU integration, stressing that Vondra confirmed at Tuesday's meeting that as far as the Czech Republic is concerned Serbia should have no additional preconditions for the candidate status in March. “The president of the Czech Republic, the foreign minister and the Defense minister have confirmed that Serbia has no additional preconditions for the candidate status as far as the Czech Republic is concerned,” Sutanovac told Tanjug. He said that this is one of the important results of Serbian President Boris Tadic's recent visit to the Czech Republic and Tuesday's talks in Prague. Sutanovac will later on Tuesday meet with Czech First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg. Since 2009, the Czech Republic has been the contact country for Serbia's relations with the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) and has successfully worked in support of the work of the Serbia-NATO Defense Reform Group (DRG), promoting European integration in Serbia, as well as defense reforms through the Partnership for Peace (PfP) trust funds. At the informal summit with the presidents of Serbia, Croatia and Slovakia on Saturday, Czech President Vaclav Klaus backed Serbia's integration, stressing that its further European path should not be conditioned with Kosovo. Asked how he saw the prospects of Serbia getting the EU membership candidate status in March and whether the Czech Republic was making efforts to convince the countries that are reluctant to support Serbia to do so, Klaus said that his country was pushing for the support on all occasions. We clearly declare our support for Serbia, Klaus said, adding that the EU door should not be closed and every opportunity should be given to any country that wishes to participate in the process of European integration. It is our clear position, he stressed. Dragan Sutanovac (file) Tanjug

Defense minister confers with Czech counterpart

Vondra reiterated after a meeting with Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac the Czech Republic's unwavering support to Serbia, and commended the reforms that Belgrade carried out, particularly the one in the Defense system.

We support Serbia at the moment, and we will just as well support it in March, Vondra said.

When asked by Tanjug whether Serbia has met all criteria for the EU candidate status, Vondra said that Serbia met all preconditions late in 2011 which was confirmed by the opinion of the European Commission.

As far as candidacy is concerned, there are no pressures or preconditions coming from the Czech Republic. We have simply read the opinion of the European Commission late in 2011, and expressed support to Serbia's candidacy status just as we support it now, Vondra said.

He highlighted Serbia's success in the Defense system reform.

We are impressed with Serbia's results in the reforms of the military and Defense system in the last few years, Vondra said.

Šutanovac told Tanjug that the Czech Republic supports Serbia's EU integration, stressing that Vondra confirmed at Tuesday's meeting that as far as the Czech Republic is concerned Serbia should have no additional preconditions for the candidate status in March.

“The president of the Czech Republic, the foreign minister and the Defense minister have confirmed that Serbia has no additional preconditions for the candidate status as far as the Czech Republic is concerned,” Šutanovac told Tanjug.

He said that this is one of the important results of Serbian President Boris Tadić's recent visit to the Czech Republic and Tuesday's talks in Prague.

Šutanovac will later on Tuesday meet with Czech First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg.

Since 2009, the Czech Republic has been the contact country for Serbia's relations with the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) and has successfully worked in support of the work of the Serbia-NATO Defense Reform Group (DRG), promoting European integration in Serbia, as well as defense reforms through the Partnership for Peace (PfP) trust funds.

At the informal summit with the presidents of Serbia, Croatia and Slovakia on Saturday, Czech President Vaclav Klaus backed Serbia's integration, stressing that its further European path should not be conditioned with Kosovo.

Asked how he saw the prospects of Serbia getting the EU membership candidate status in March and whether the Czech Republic was making efforts to convince the countries that are reluctant to support Serbia to do so, Klaus said that his country was pushing for the support on all occasions.

We clearly declare our support for Serbia, Klaus said, adding that the EU door should not be closed and every opportunity should be given to any country that wishes to participate in the process of European integration. It is our clear position, he stressed.