Foreign minister meets with German counterpart

BERLIN German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has said that Germany's "clear commitment" to supporting the European perspective of Serbia was to continue. At a news conference in Berlin after his meeting with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic, Westerwelle said that Serbia on its further path towards the EU "should fulfill all the criteria", and that "for Germany, normalization of relations with neighboring countries, including Kosovo," was "crucial". Foreign minister meets with German counterpart Minister Mrkic told reported that the Serbian government "intends to be in as closer cooperation with Germany as possible, and that in the future it will confirm the intention". In a statement to the Beta news agency Mrkic said that he and Westerwelle discussed the situation in Serbia after the acquittal in the Hague of Croatian generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac. "We have met with understanding for our strong reaction, because this is about essential injustice dealt by that the so-called verdict," said Mrkic. "Even so,"he continued, "I spoke to Westerwelle about everything that stands in the way of Serbia's path to the EU," and added that Serbia "will have the full support of Germany in that it is one of the key things that absolutely can accelerate this process": "We repeated it this time as well that we are not in a rush for a specific date (for the start of EU accession talks), but are instead committed to carrying out thorough and serious reforms and harmonize with what is the standard in much of the continent, and we wish to then be invited as a member of that European family." The Serbian chief of diplomacy said that Westerwelle received information about Kosovo, adding that the Serbian government "has the full support for the policy conducted in order to arrange relations, of course, not giving up our principled positions and respect of our Constitution." Mrkic recalled that yesterday in Berlin he met with an advisor for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Christoph Heusgen, and described the talks he had in Berlin as "comprehensive and friendly". Mrkic also spoke for Germany's Tagesspiegel daily, to say that Serbia would give up on its bid to join the EU if its membership in the organization was conditioned with a recognition of Kosovo. Mrkic and Westerwelle address reporters in Berlin (Beta/AP) Beta

Foreign minister meets with German counterpart

Minister Mrkić told reported that the Serbian government "intends to be in as closer cooperation with Germany as possible, and that in the future it will confirm the intention".

In a statement to the Beta news agency Mrkić said that he and Westerwelle discussed the situation in Serbia after the acquittal in the Hague of Croatian generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markač.

"We have met with understanding for our strong reaction, because this is about essential injustice dealt by that the so-called verdict," said Mrkić.

"Even so,"he continued, "I spoke to Westerwelle about everything that stands in the way of Serbia's path to the EU," and added that Serbia "will have the full support of Germany in that it is one of the key things that absolutely can accelerate this process":

"We repeated it this time as well that we are not in a rush for a specific date (for the start of EU accession talks), but are instead committed to carrying out thorough and
serious reforms and harmonize with what is the standard in much of the continent, and we wish to then be invited as a member of that European family."

The Serbian chief of diplomacy said that Westerwelle received information about Kosovo, adding that the Serbian government "has the full support for the policy conducted in order to arrange relations, of course, not giving up our principled positions and respect of our Constitution."

Mrkić recalled that yesterday in Berlin he met with an advisor for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Christoph Heusgen, and described the talks he had in Berlin as "comprehensive and friendly".

Mrkić also spoke for Germany's Tagesspiegel daily, to say that Serbia would give up on its bid to join the EU if its membership in the organization was conditioned with a recognition of Kosovo.