PM Dačić in Brussels for meetings with EU officials

BELGRADE, BRUSSELS Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic met on Tuesday in Brussels with President of the European Council (EC) Herman Van Rompuy. Van Rompuy said after the meeting that "visible and sustainable improvement of relations with Kosovo" and implementation of agreements reached in Brussels remain a key requirement for Serbia's next step on its EU path, while Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic reiterated Serbia is ready to implement all agreements, but unwilling to accept new conditions. PM Dacic in Brussels for meetings with EU officials "A visible and sustainable improvement of relations with Kosovo remains a key requirement for the next step, the start of EU accession negotiations. I am pleased that the Serbian Government has issued a decision that will now allow for an effective and inclusive cooperation throughout the region. But the work does not end here,“ Van Rompuy said after the talks with Dacic at the EU headquarters. He underlined that all agreements reached in the dialogue with Pristina so far had to be implemented, especially the agreement on the integrated management of administrative crossings. A solution needs to be found to the situation in northern Kosovo, a solution that will improve the lives of people there, he added. "It is now important that key political reforms continue - on the judiciary, the fight against corruption and organized crime, freedom of the media and the protection of minorities. Improving the business environment is another important factor in attracting investments, boosting exports,“ he added. "I was satisfied to hear from the Prime Minister that he and his government are equally committed and that they will do everything possible to bring Serbia closer to the EU. All countries in the region have the possibility to follow Croatia's example if they work hard and fulfil the criteria. The EU is willing to help Serbia to advance the EU agenda. But ultimately, the speed of progress will depend on Serbia. The future of Serbia lies in Europe," Van Rompuy said. Prime Minister Dacic said that Serbia is clearly committed to the EU path, and that the country stands ready to implement all the agreements reached in the dialogue. "The government does not question the agreements reached in the dialogue so far. As you could see, the government has delivered an instruction which enables Serbia's participation in regional fora. We are ready to continue the dialogue, not only on technical, but also on political issues, and we are ready for a very high level of engagement,“ the Serbian prime minister underlined. However, he requested that Serbia be not presented with some new conditions, besides the ones put forward by the European Council in December last year. "It is certain that the chances for obtaining a start date for entry talks are in our hands. What we ask our partners from the EU is that there are no new conditions, and that the ones put forward in December last year be not expanded,"Dacic was adamant. He underscored that Serbia's commitment to the EU integration implies that it would continue to implement internal political reforms and harmonize its legal system with that of the EU. (Tanjug, file) Date for start of accession talks uncertain Ivica Dacic traveled to Brussels this Tuesday with Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic. It was reported earlier in the day that the two Serbian officials would discuss fulfillment of obligations set before the country in order to be given a date for the start of EU membership talks. Beside Herman van Rompuy, Dacic is also meeting with EP President Martin Schultz, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule, and European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom. They are discussing Serbia's reforms, particularly regarding the reform of the judiciary, the fight against systemic corruption and the resumption of the Kosovo dialogue, Beta news agency quoted EU officials as saying. According to them, Dacic is expected to explain in more detail the main strategic goals of the new Serbian government, and its key objective of moving toward membership in the union as quickly as possible. The sources in Brussels are under the impression that the stand of the government in Belgrade, about not demanding that Kosovo be represented at future gatherings with the entire text of the footnote, set by the agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, could contribute to the resumption of the dialogue with Kosovo. The EU on Monday welcomed the decision, while Ashton's spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic told B92 that "Europe now expected to see efficient, inclusive and representative regional cooperation from Belgrade and Pristina". The EU believes that the fight against corruption, which is also an obstacle to investments, should yield tangible results at a higher level - not necessarily the arrest of high officials like, for instance, in Croatia, but the cutting of the roots of system corruption, including 24 suspicious privatization deals. Stefan Fule stated last week that a date for the start of membership talks depended only on whether and when Serbia will fulfill the conditions set by the European Council. EU diplomatic sources stressed that the "Opinion" that will be given by the European Commission on October 10 will be very important for this, and added that it will perhaps be more realistic to expect the European Council to set a date in March, or June of next year. According to these claims, Germany believes that it is too early to approve negotiations with Serbia, while some other countries, such as Britain, Holland and France, wanted to see this done "as soon as possible". According to the same sources, Germany's position is also determined by the stance that it shares with the U.S., that a lasting solution for Kosovo and relations between Belgrade and Pristina should be found by the end of the year, and to this end pressure is being exerted on EU presidency holder Cyprus, so that it may support an outcome that would mean acceptance of "Kosovo's independence". In his meeting with Serbian Deputy PM Suzana Grubjesic, Fule last week said that EU was ready to use some funds from its program for the region for direct budget support for the government in Belgrade - so that it could overcome its present economic and financial woes. B92 Beta Tanjug

PM Dačić in Brussels for meetings with EU officials

"A visible and sustainable improvement of relations with Kosovo remains a key requirement for the next step, the start of EU accession negotiations. I am pleased that the Serbian Government has issued a decision that will now allow for an effective and inclusive cooperation throughout the region. But the work does not end here,“ Van Rompuy said after the talks with Dačić at the EU headquarters.

He underlined that all agreements reached in the dialogue with Pristina so far had to be implemented, especially the agreement on the integrated management of administrative crossings.

A solution needs to be found to the situation in northern Kosovo, a solution that will improve the lives of people there, he added.

"It is now important that key political reforms continue - on the judiciary, the fight against corruption and organized crime, freedom of the media and the protection of minorities. Improving the business environment is another important factor in attracting investments, boosting exports,“ he added.

"I was satisfied to hear from the Prime Minister that he and his government are equally committed and that they will do everything possible to bring Serbia closer to the EU. All countries in the region have the possibility to follow Croatia's example if they work hard and fulfil the criteria. The EU is willing to help Serbia to advance the EU agenda. But ultimately, the speed of progress will depend on Serbia. The future of Serbia lies in Europe," Van Rompuy said.

Prime Minister Dačić said that Serbia is clearly committed to the EU path, and that the country stands ready to implement all the agreements reached in the dialogue.

"The government does not question the agreements reached in the dialogue so far. As you could see, the government has delivered an instruction which enables Serbia's participation in regional fora. We are ready to continue the dialogue, not only on technical, but also on political issues, and we are ready for a very high level of engagement,“ the Serbian prime minister underlined.

However, he requested that Serbia be not presented with some new conditions, besides the ones put forward by the European Council in December last year.

"It is certain that the chances for obtaining a start date for entry talks are in our hands. What we ask our partners from the EU is that there are no new conditions, and that the ones put forward in December last year be not expanded,"Dačić was adamant.

He underscored that Serbia's commitment to the EU integration implies that it would continue to implement internal political reforms and harmonize its legal system with that of the EU.

Date for start of accession talks uncertain

Ivica Dačić traveled to Brussels this Tuesday with Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkić.

It was reported earlier in the day that the two Serbian officials would discuss fulfillment of obligations set before the country in order to be given a date for the start of EU membership talks.

Beside Herman van Rompuy, Dačić is also meeting with EP President Martin Schultz, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule, and European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom.

They are discussing Serbia's reforms, particularly regarding the reform of the judiciary, the fight against systemic corruption and the resumption of the Kosovo dialogue, Beta news agency quoted EU officials as saying.

According to them, Dačić is expected to explain in more detail the main strategic goals of the new Serbian government, and its key objective of moving toward membership in the union as quickly as possible.

The sources in Brussels are under the impression that the stand of the government in Belgrade, about not demanding that Kosovo be represented at future gatherings with the entire text of the footnote, set by the agreement between Belgrade and Priština, could contribute to the resumption of the dialogue with Kosovo.

The EU on Monday welcomed the decision, while Ashton's spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic told B92 that "Europe now expected to see efficient, inclusive and representative regional cooperation from Belgrade and Priština".

The EU believes that the fight against corruption, which is also an obstacle to investments, should yield tangible results at a higher level - not necessarily the arrest of high officials like, for instance, in Croatia, but the cutting of the roots of system corruption, including 24 suspicious privatization deals.

Stefan Fule stated last week that a date for the start of membership talks depended only on whether and when Serbia will fulfill the conditions set by the European Council.

EU diplomatic sources stressed that the "Opinion" that will be given by the European Commission on October 10 will be very important for this, and added that it will perhaps be more realistic to expect the European Council to set a date in March, or June of next year.

According to these claims, Germany believes that it is too early to approve negotiations with Serbia, while some other countries, such as Britain, Holland and France, wanted to see this done "as soon as possible".

According to the same sources, Germany's position is also determined by the stance that it shares with the U.S., that a lasting solution for Kosovo and relations between Belgrade and Priština should be found by the end of the year, and to this end pressure is being exerted on EU presidency holder Cyprus, so that it may support an outcome that would mean acceptance of "Kosovo's independence".

In his meeting with Serbian Deputy PM Suzana Grubješić, Fule last week said that EU was ready to use some funds from its program for the region for direct budget support for the government in Belgrade - so that it could overcome its present economic and financial woes.