Top Serbian officials meet with German foreign minister

Germany wishes to see Serbia make the next step toward the EU during the next meeting of the European Council and become a candidate for membership. see more of today's photos of the day This was heard from German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who made the statement after a meeting with his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic. Top Serbian officials meet with German foreign minister The German official arrived here on a surprise visit earlier on Thursday. Germany, said Westerwelle, "firmly stands behind Serbia's European perspective". "I came to encourage and commend what has been done, the goal is close at hand and there must be reason and flexibility now," he stated, adding that Serbia was "doing everything to fulfill the conditions, while solutions were close for open issues". He said that the agreement on freedom of movement was a big step that must be commended, while if those open issues were approached "in the spirit of cooperation" solutions were "very close". "I think it will happen. Germany is very determined for that to happen," Westerwelle said. Vuk Jeremic addressed reporters to say that Serbia had done everything it could to fulfill the conditions and recommendations made by Brussels in December, but that new conditions set in the meantime were unacceptable. "I think that at this moment we are in a situation where the achievement of this joint goal is close at hand," he said. "There is high degree of agreement on that in much of the EU," added the Serbian minister. There will be plenty of work to do in the coming days, but success is possible, according to Jeremic. He said the "European process" was the government's priority, but declined to make any predictions on the EU decision on Serbia's bid to be given the status of candidate for membership. "We are still not in a situation to claim with certainty that we will get it," concluded Jeremic. The German foreign minister was also meeting with Serbian President Boris Tadic this evening in Belgrade. Westerwelle's visit comes a day after his Austrian, French and Italian counterparts sent a letter to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, urging the granting of EU candidate status for Serbia, and saying that the country had met all conditions set before it. The visit also came as delegations of Belgrade and Pristina continued their talks in Brussels, focusing on future regional representation of Kosovo. Jeremic and Westerwelle are seen in Belgrade on Thursday (Tanjug) "Serbia completely open for agreement" During his meeting with Westerwelle, Serbian President Boris Tadic said that Belgrade has a constructive approach to the dialogue with Pristina and that it is completely open for agreement. "I believe that we have fulfilled all the conditions for the EU candidate status," Tadic said at the meeting dedicated to Serbia's possible progress in the process of EU integration, technical dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and bilateral relations between Serbia and Germany. The president said that Serbia wants the best possible political, economic and friendly relation with Germany, which is one of the key EU countries, Tadic's press service released in a statement. Serbia advocates that all solutions in the dialogue are reached through compromise. We want further progress in the talks, and, when it comes to Pristina's regional presentation, UN Security Council Resolution 1244 is an essential factor for us, Tadic said. He also said that "no one has officially asked Belgrade to recognize Kosovo". Serbia will not recognize Kosovo's independence either explicitly or implicitly, Tadic said. The meeting between Tadic and Westerwelle was held in "good and constructive atmosphere", according to the statement. Tadic and Ashton discuss status, dialogue Serbian President Boris Tadic discussed on Thursday over the phone with European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton the possibility that Serbia be granted EU candidacy status, Tanjug learned from the president's press service. President Tadic and Ashton also touched on the overcoming of problems in the ongoing technical dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels. As far as Prisstina's regional representation, Tadic underlined that "UN Resolution 1244 on Kosovo represents an unavoidable factor for Serbia", said the statement. B92 Tanjug

Top Serbian officials meet with German foreign minister

The German official arrived here on a surprise visit earlier on Thursday.

Germany, said Westerwelle, "firmly stands behind Serbia's European perspective".

"I came to encourage and commend what has been done, the goal is close at hand and there must be reason and flexibility now," he stated, adding that Serbia was "doing everything to fulfill the conditions, while solutions were close for open issues".

He said that the agreement on freedom of movement was a big step that must be commended, while if those open issues were approached "in the spirit of cooperation" solutions were "very close".

"I think it will happen. Germany is very determined for that to happen," Westerwelle said.

Vuk Jeremić addressed reporters to say that Serbia had done everything it could to fulfill the conditions and recommendations made by Brussels in December, but that new conditions set in the meantime were unacceptable.

"I think that at this moment we are in a situation where the achievement of this joint goal is close at hand," he said.

"There is high degree of agreement on that in much of the EU," added the Serbian minister.

There will be plenty of work to do in the coming days, but success is possible, according to Jeremić.

He said the "European process" was the government's priority, but declined to make any predictions on the EU decision on Serbia's bid to be given the status of candidate for membership.

"We are still not in a situation to claim with certainty that we will get it," concluded Jeremić.

The German foreign minister was also meeting with Serbian President Boris Tadić this evening in Belgrade.

Westerwelle's visit comes a day after his Austrian, French and Italian counterparts sent a letter to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, urging the granting of EU candidate status for Serbia, and saying that the country had met all conditions set before it.

The visit also came as delegations of Belgrade and Priština continued their talks in Brussels, focusing on future regional representation of Kosovo.

"Serbia completely open for agreement"

During his meeting with Westerwelle, Serbian President Boris Tadić said that Belgrade has a constructive approach to the dialogue with Priština and that it is completely open for agreement.

"I believe that we have fulfilled all the conditions for the EU candidate status," Tadić said at the meeting dedicated to Serbia's possible progress in the process of EU integration, technical dialogue between Belgrade and Priština and bilateral relations between Serbia and Germany.

The president said that Serbia wants the best possible political, economic and friendly relation with Germany, which is one of the key EU countries, Tadić's press service released in a statement.

Serbia advocates that all solutions in the dialogue are reached through compromise. We want further progress in the talks, and, when it comes to Priština's regional presentation, UN Security Council Resolution 1244 is an essential factor for us, Tadić said.

He also said that "no one has officially asked Belgrade to recognize Kosovo".

Serbia will not recognize Kosovo's independence either explicitly or implicitly, Tadić said.

The meeting between Tadić and Westerwelle was held in "good and constructive atmosphere", according to the statement.

Tadić and Ashton discuss status, dialogue

Serbian President Boris Tadić discussed on Thursday over the phone with European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton the possibility that Serbia be granted EU candidacy status, Tanjug learned from the president's press service.

President Tadić and Ashton also touched on the overcoming of problems in the ongoing technical dialogue between Belgrade and Priština in Brussels.

As far as Prišstina's regional representation, Tadić underlined that "UN Resolution 1244 on Kosovo represents an unavoidable factor for Serbia", said the statement.