FM announces discussion on withdrawal of genocide suits

BELGRADE Serbian Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic has assessed that Serbia’s relations with neighbors were not at a stalemate. He stressed that Serbia was determined to expand its cooperation with the neighbors. FM announces discussion on withdrawal of genocide suits The minister told Beta news agency that Serbia truly wanted to build relations with Croatia on “healthy grounds” and that it was ready to discuss possible withdrawal of mutual genocide lawsuits. Mrkic expressed belief that the continuation of reforms and the dialogue with Pristina would create preconditions for further EU accession, adding that it was less important if a date for the start of the EU accession talks would be granted in March or June “Serbia has continued to implement the reform agenda regarding the EU integration in the last five months,” he said and added that he hoped that Brussels would recognize the results of the process. “A proof of that are recent European Council’s conclusions that are positive and that open up a possibility for Serbia to get a date for the beginning of the EU talks. On the other hand, Brussels highly appreciates seriousness, constructiveness and attitude that the Serbian government is demonstrating in the dialogue with Pristina. Therefore, the continuation of the reform process on one and the dialogue with Pristina on the other side will create preconditions for Serbia’s further EU accession. Whether this will happen in March or June, I think that’s less important,” the FM explained. He also disagrees with statements that Serbia’s relations with the countries of the region were at a standstill. “On the contrary, Serbia is clearly determined to reach the highest level of relations and cooperation with the countries in its direct proximity. We have achieved a series of bilateral meetings on the high level with all countries of the region and we have initiated not only a regular political dialogue but several concrete proposals for cooperation in areas that we could have common interest with those countries,” Mrkic said. “There is a lot of room for cooperation with our neighbors and we will try, and I am convinced that we will be successful in it, to expand and enrich it further,” he underscored. According to the foreign minister, “relations with Sarajevo are very important to Serbia because we have many things in common”. When it comes to relations with Croatia, he reiterated that he and his Croatian counterpart Vesna Pusic had agreed to continue the dialogue and solve open issues and identify areas in which cooperation could be strengthened and deepened. “Let me make myself completely clear, my talks with Vesna Pusic are neither just a part of a protocol nor technical, they are mutually honest and aimed at building the two countries’ relations on healthy grounds,” Mrkic said. Commenting on the acquittal of Croat Generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac, he said that the not-guilty verdict “certainly makes the reconciliation process in the region harder, primarily because it imposes an impression of selective justice which is blind to the most gruesome crimes” but that it would not destroy a possibility to talk with Zagreb on mutual withdrawal of the genocide lawsuits. “As far as the withdrawal of the suits before the International Court of Justice is concerned, we will discuss it with our Croatian colleagues,” the minister stressed. He believes that a public debate on the Hague Tribunal in the UN General Assembly on April 10, 2013 is a “place and opportunity for Serbia to inform the international public with its positions and views of the Tribunal’s work”. Mrkic added that Serbia expected a formal conclusion to be adopted. Commenting on relations with Russia, he said that an agreement on strategic partnership was in “its final stages of harmonization with the Russian side” and that it “will quickly be ready for signing”. According to the FM, Serbia’s position that “Kosovo’s secession is unacceptable and illegal” has a “very wide and principled support of the majority of the countries in the world” and that one of the priorities was “to keep it that way”. “I will say nothing new if I point to the fact that some very powerful countries have an opposite stance from ours and they are active in lobbying for the recognition of Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence. Despite their efforts, the recognition process of Kosovo’s so-called independence has slowed down considerably. Most of the countries in the world still advocate position on precedence and respect of the international law,” he explained. He said that Serbia’s priorities in foreign policy next year were clear. “Further strengthening of ties and forms of cooperation with the neighboring countries, continuation of the EU integration process, strengthening and deepening of relations with the most important world capitals but also with countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America… Finally, preservation of the country’s sovereignty and national integrity and readiness to solve conflicts with political means and dialogue, will be one of the basic hallmarks of our foreign-political activities,” the foreign minister concluded. Ivan Mrkic (Tanjug, file) Beta

FM announces discussion on withdrawal of genocide suits

The minister told Beta news agency that Serbia truly wanted to build relations with Croatia on “healthy grounds” and that it was ready to discuss possible withdrawal of mutual genocide lawsuits.

Mrkić expressed belief that the continuation of reforms and the dialogue with Priština would create preconditions for further EU accession, adding that it was less important if a date for the start of the EU accession talks would be granted in March or June

“Serbia has continued to implement the reform agenda regarding the EU integration in the last five months,” he said and added that he hoped that Brussels would recognize the results of the process.

“A proof of that are recent European Council’s conclusions that are positive and that open up a possibility for Serbia to get a date for the beginning of the EU talks. On the other hand, Brussels highly appreciates seriousness, constructiveness and attitude that the Serbian government is demonstrating in the dialogue with Priština. Therefore, the continuation of the reform process on one and the dialogue with Priština on the other side will create preconditions for Serbia’s further EU accession. Whether this will happen in March or June, I think that’s less important,” the FM explained.

He also disagrees with statements that Serbia’s relations with the countries of the region were at a standstill.

“On the contrary, Serbia is clearly determined to reach the highest level of relations and cooperation with the countries in its direct proximity. We have achieved a series of bilateral meetings on the high level with all countries of the region and we have initiated not only a regular political dialogue but several concrete proposals for cooperation in areas that we could have common interest with those countries,” Mrkić said.

“There is a lot of room for cooperation with our neighbors and we will try, and I am convinced that we will be successful in it, to expand and enrich it further,” he underscored.

According to the foreign minister, “relations with Sarajevo are very important to Serbia because we have many things in common”.

When it comes to relations with Croatia, he reiterated that he and his Croatian counterpart Vesna Pusić had agreed to continue the dialogue and solve open issues and identify areas in which cooperation could be strengthened and deepened.

“Let me make myself completely clear, my talks with Vesna Pusić are neither just a part of a protocol nor technical, they are mutually honest and aimed at building the two countries’ relations on healthy grounds,” Mrkić said.

Commenting on the acquittal of Croat Generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markač, he said that the not-guilty verdict “certainly makes the reconciliation process in the region harder, primarily because it imposes an impression of selective justice which is blind to the most gruesome crimes” but that it would not destroy a possibility to talk with Zagreb on mutual withdrawal of the genocide lawsuits.

“As far as the withdrawal of the suits before the International Court of Justice is concerned, we will discuss it with our Croatian colleagues,” the minister stressed.

He believes that a public debate on the Hague Tribunal in the UN General Assembly on April 10, 2013 is a “place and opportunity for Serbia to inform the international public with its positions and views of the Tribunal’s work”.

Mrkić added that Serbia expected a formal conclusion to be adopted.

Commenting on relations with Russia, he said that an agreement on strategic partnership was in “its final stages of harmonization with the Russian side” and that it “will quickly be ready for signing”.

According to the FM, Serbia’s position that “Kosovo’s secession is unacceptable and illegal” has a “very wide and principled support of the majority of the countries in the world” and that one of the priorities was “to keep it that way”.

“I will say nothing new if I point to the fact that some very powerful countries have an opposite stance from ours and they are active in lobbying for the recognition of Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence. Despite their efforts, the recognition process of Kosovo’s so-called independence has slowed down considerably. Most of the countries in the world still advocate position on precedence and respect of the international law,” he explained.

He said that Serbia’s priorities in foreign policy next year were clear.

“Further strengthening of ties and forms of cooperation with the neighboring countries, continuation of the EU integration process, strengthening and deepening of relations with the most important world capitals but also with countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America… Finally, preservation of the country’s sovereignty and national integrity and readiness to solve conflicts with political means and dialogue, will be one of the basic hallmarks of our foreign-political activities,” the foreign minister concluded.