PM talks asylum seekers, EU talks date with Belgians

BRUSSELS Serbia's PM Ivica Dacic met in Brussels on Wednesday with Belgian State Secretary for Migration and Asylum Policy Maggie de Block. The number of Serbian citizens seeking asylum in Belgium has decreased thanks to mutual cooperation, the two officials agreed. PM talks asylum seekers, EU talks date with Belgians However, Block stressed that 50 Serbian citizens still seek asylum in that country every month, which is a lot, since Serbia has obtained the status of a safe country. We cooperate well in the field of identification and readmission measures, she said, and added that the Belgian authorities are preparing new measures for asylum seekers. Dacic, who also serves as Serbia's interior minister, stated that, thanks to good cooperation with Belgium's authorities, when compared to first seven months of 2011, the number of Serbian asylum seekers has reduced by half in the first five months of 2012. He said that the issue of asylum seekers is largely resolved by measures Serbia is implementing, but also by preventive measures of Belgium, which has cut the procedures for reviewing asylum requests to 15 days. With this meeting, Dacic wrapped up his two-day visit to Brussels as Prime Minister of Serbia, during which he conferred with a large number of officials. Ivica Dacic (Tanjug, file) Date for start of EU negotiations "as soon as possible" The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium Didier Reynders said on Wednesday after talks with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic that Belgium fully supports Serbia to get a date for the start of negotiations on EU membership as soon as possible. Reynders stressed that Belgium and the EU want to be fair and clear and certain that Serbia can meet the requirements specified by the conclusions of the European Council of last year, and to resolve issues between Belgrade Pristina. Reynders also referred to the two countries' bilateral relations stressing that there is no problem, but there is scope to further develop cooperation, particularly through Belgium's new investments in Serbia. Prime Minister Dacic said that the Serbia and Belgium are friendly countries and thanked the Belgian minister for supporting Serbia on its European path. He reiterated that Serbia is ready to fulfill the decisions of the European Council , but that it does not want the requirements to be expanded. Serbia wants sincere and trusting relations, Dacic said. Serbia wants to know what needs to be done and it will not make any last minute decision, but does not want the EU to set last minute additional requirements for a date or full membership either, he said. Tanjug

PM talks asylum seekers, EU talks date with Belgians

However, Block stressed that 50 Serbian citizens still seek asylum in that country every month, which is a lot, since Serbia has obtained the status of a safe country.

We cooperate well in the field of identification and readmission measures, she said, and added that the Belgian authorities are preparing new measures for asylum seekers.

Dačić, who also serves as Serbia's interior minister, stated that, thanks to good cooperation with Belgium's authorities, when compared to first seven months of 2011, the number of Serbian asylum seekers has reduced by half in the first five months of 2012.

He said that the issue of asylum seekers is largely resolved by measures Serbia is implementing, but also by preventive measures of Belgium, which has cut the procedures for reviewing asylum requests to 15 days.

With this meeting, Dačić wrapped up his two-day visit to Brussels as Prime Minister of Serbia, during which he conferred with a large number of officials.

Date for start of EU negotiations "as soon as possible"

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium Didier Reynders said on Wednesday after talks with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić that Belgium fully supports Serbia to get a date for the start of negotiations on EU membership as soon as possible.

Reynders stressed that Belgium and the EU want to be fair and clear and certain that Serbia can meet the requirements specified by the conclusions of the European Council of last year, and to resolve issues between Belgrade Pristina.

Reynders also referred to the two countries' bilateral relations stressing that there is no problem, but there is scope to further develop cooperation, particularly through Belgium's new investments in Serbia.

Prime Minister Dačić said that the Serbia and Belgium are friendly countries and thanked the Belgian minister for supporting Serbia on its European path.

He reiterated that Serbia is ready to fulfill the decisions of the European Council , but that it does not want the requirements to be expanded.

Serbia wants sincere and trusting relations, Dačić said.

Serbia wants to know what needs to be done and it will not make any last minute decision, but does not want the EU to set last minute additional requirements for a date or full membership either, he said.