Serbian president, Italian FM against "new conditions"

BELGRADE Italian FM Giulio Terzi underlined in the talks with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic that Italy supports Serbia's efforts to join the EU. During their meeting on Monday in Belgrade, he added that Italy was ready to offer all the necessary help in the continuation of the dialogue with the interim government in Pristina, the Serbian Presidency said in a press release. Serbian president, Italian FM against "new conditions" The Italian foreign minister, who is the first foreign official to visit Belgrade after the government formation, expressed Italy's readiness to cooperate especially in the energy sector, and informed President Nikolic that Italy is willing to invest funds in joint projects with Serbia such as construction of hydroelectric power plants on the Ibar River and the Drina River, the statement added. Nikolic "expressed gratitude for the two countries' strategic partnership, and the investments which Italy has made in Serbia so far, stressing that Serbia counts on Italy's support on its further EU pathway". Nikolic and Terzi "agreed that it would be very bad for all if the EU presented additional preconditions for Serbia's EU accession", the statement said. Nikolic voiced Serbia's readiness to implement the recommendations put forward by the European Union, and correct the omissions in the judicial reform, the fight against corruption and crime, and dubious privatizations. Commenting on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija, President Nikolic underlined that in the future, Serbia's policy will be transparent, when it comes to its southern province. Serbia will insist that the maximum security and peace be provided for all citizens in the province, and will not accept the independence of that party of Serbia, Nikolic stressed. The plan is to reach a national consensus on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija, so that the strategy be backed by all relevant actors, Nikolic said. The Serbian president told his guest that to date, the problem in the dialogue with Pristina lay in the fact that Serbia's representatives had not asked for anything, but just made concessions on Serbia's behalf. Therefore, the Serbian president expects the Serbian government to come up with an analysis, in which it would present "Serbia's interpretation of the already reached agreements", the release reads. (Tanjug) Serbia to continue dialogue with Pristina The continuation of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, as well as the continuation of reforms are of crucial importance for the European course of Serbia, Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi told a joint press conference in Belgrade on Monday. They emphasized that there would be no additional conditions on the European path of Serbia. Dacic said that the Serbian government pledged to continue dialogue with Pristina, but that the dates for continued dialogue are to be discussed in September. Dacic said he was glad to hear from Terzi that there would be no additional conditions for Serbia after the agreements reached in December last year. Terzi stressed that his country strongly supports Serbia's European path, that it had struggled to grant Serbia candidate status and will continue to do so when it comes to getting a date for negotiations. To that end, Serbia must continue reforms and dialogue with Pristina, he said. He added that he firmly believes that Serbia's progress in these two fields will be recognized by the European Commission and the EU itself when a report on how much progress Serbia has made is submitted. Asked whether Italy supports the inclusion of the UN in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Terzi said that this decision should be taken by the UN Secretary General, taking into account the usefulness of this move, given that the UN forces largely withdrew from Kosovo and left activities in the field to EULEX. Dacic and Terzi agreed that the good economic and political cooperation between the two countries should continue, and that it should be deepened in the field of culture, between universities. Tanjug

Serbian president, Italian FM against "new conditions"

The Italian foreign minister, who is the first foreign official to visit Belgrade after the government formation, expressed Italy's readiness to cooperate especially in the energy sector, and informed President Nikolić that Italy is willing to invest funds in joint projects with Serbia such as construction of hydroelectric power plants on the Ibar River and the Drina River, the statement added.

Nikolić "expressed gratitude for the two countries' strategic partnership, and the investments which Italy has made in Serbia so far, stressing that Serbia counts on Italy's support on its further EU pathway".

Nikolić and Terzi "agreed that it would be very bad for all if the EU presented additional preconditions for Serbia's EU accession", the statement said.

Nikolić voiced Serbia's readiness to implement the recommendations put forward by the European Union, and correct the omissions in the judicial reform, the fight against corruption and crime, and dubious privatizations.

Commenting on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija, President Nikolić underlined that in the future, Serbia's policy will be transparent, when it comes to its southern province.

Serbia will insist that the maximum security and peace be provided for all citizens in the province, and will not accept the independence of that party of Serbia, Nikolić stressed.

The plan is to reach a national consensus on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija, so that the strategy be backed by all relevant actors, Nikolić said.

The Serbian president told his guest that to date, the problem in the dialogue with Priština lay in the fact that Serbia's representatives had not asked for anything, but just made concessions on Serbia's behalf.

Therefore, the Serbian president expects the Serbian government to come up with an analysis, in which it would present "Serbia's interpretation of the already reached agreements", the release reads.

Serbia to continue dialogue with Priština

The continuation of dialogue between Belgrade and Priština, as well as the continuation of reforms are of crucial importance for the European course of Serbia, Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi told a joint press conference in Belgrade on Monday.

They emphasized that there would be no additional conditions on the European path of Serbia.

Dačić said that the Serbian government pledged to continue dialogue with Priština, but that the dates for continued dialogue are to be discussed in September.

Dačić said he was glad to hear from Terzi that there would be no additional conditions for Serbia after the agreements reached in December last year.

Terzi stressed that his country strongly supports Serbia's European path, that it had struggled to grant Serbia candidate status and will continue to do so when it comes to getting a date for negotiations.

To that end, Serbia must continue reforms and dialogue with Priština, he said.

He added that he firmly believes that Serbia's progress in these two fields will be recognized by the European Commission and the EU itself when a report on how much progress Serbia has made is submitted.

Asked whether Italy supports the inclusion of the UN in the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština, Terzi said that this decision should be taken by the UN Secretary General, taking into account the usefulness of this move, given that the UN forces largely withdrew from Kosovo and left activities in the field to EULEX.

Dačić and Terzi agreed that the good economic and political cooperation between the two countries should continue, and that it should be deepened in the field of culture, between universities.