Enlargement commissioner hopes for positive EC report

BRUSSELS EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule has expressed hope that the European Commission will adopt a positive report on Serbia's progress. “Relations with Kosovo will remain the key precondition for the Commission to recommend its member states to open negotiations with Serbia,” Fule said on Tuesday evening after the talks with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic. Enlargement commissioner hopes for positive EC report “It is Serbia's ambition to start membership talks as soon as possible with full support of the European Commission,” he said, adding that when it cameto the most important issue, Kosovo, there were good signals. “We have the (EU) strategy and a great contribution of High Representative Catherine Ashton, and we will continue to work on this issue,” the enlargement commissioner said, stressing that EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton was ready to get directly involved in the dialogue. He commended the decision by the Serbian government to simplify the procedure for participation of its delegations in regional forums that are attended by Pristina representatives. “It is important that the prime minister did not come empty-handed. We appreciate that and believe that this is a good start of a new phase of the dialogue which will be more political,” Fule explained. After the talks in Brussels, Dacic said that all meeting underlined that Serbia's European path should be accelerated since much time was lost on elections and government formation. He reiterated that Serbia was ready to continue the dialogue and implement the agreements reached by the previous government but that it requested from the EU not to set new conditions. Ivica Dacic (Tanjug) Tanjug

Enlargement commissioner hopes for positive EC report

“It is Serbia's ambition to start membership talks as soon as possible with full support of the European Commission,” he said, adding that when it cameto the most important issue, Kosovo, there were good signals.

“We have the (EU) strategy and a great contribution of High Representative Catherine Ashton, and we will continue to work on this issue,” the enlargement commissioner said, stressing that EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton was ready to get directly involved in the dialogue.

He commended the decision by the Serbian government to simplify the procedure for participation of its delegations in regional forums that are attended by Priština representatives.

“It is important that the prime minister did not come empty-handed. We appreciate that and believe that this is a good start of a new phase of the dialogue which will be more political,” Fule explained.

After the talks in Brussels, Dačić said that all meeting underlined that Serbia's European path should be accelerated since much time was lost on elections and government formation.

He reiterated that Serbia was ready to continue the dialogue and implement the agreements reached by the previous government but that it requested from the EU not to set new conditions.