"EU date for Serbia without new conditions"

VIENNA Austria's Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger has said that his country "will support Serbia in getting a date for EU accession talks." After a meeting on Monday in Vienna with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, Spindelegger added that he "does not believe any new conditions should be posed," Tanjug is reporting. "EU date for Serbia without new conditions" The Austrian official told a joint news conference that Austria fully supports Serbia and will work very hard at the next Council of the EU meeting to make sure Serbia gets the date. "We have seen what Serbia has done in recent months and weeks in terms of understanding with its neighbors and everyday life issues. This is a great success and I want to say we especially appreciate what Prime Minister Dacic has achieved with Serbia's neighbors under the guidance of EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton," said Spindelegger. "It is clear to us that one side, Serbia, has agreed on a 19-point program with Kosovo, which will now be implemented, and this for me is the condition for the next step, which is awarding a date. I am not in favor of new conditions, I want us to follow to the letter what we promised. If Serbia moves in this direction, it will get the date," he said. Spindelegger said he will gladly talk to his colleagues in the EU, Germany included, about supporting this step and giving a positive response regarding the date. He said he and Dacic also talked about economic relations, noting that Austria has invested around EUR 3 billion in Serbia. Austria is the biggest investor with 450 active companies and we want to build even stronger economic ties. When I next visit Serbia, I will bring along a business delegation, said Spindelegger. He also pointed to another bridge connecting Vienna and Belgrade - the large number of Austrian citizens of Serb descent. Spindelegger said he and Dacic agreed the two countries will cooperate even more closely in the future, with more frequent visits between officials. He invited Dacic to take part in the next European Forum Wachau. The Serbian prime minister started his visit to Austria on Sunday when he laid wreaths at the memorial to Yugoslav victims - the majority of whom were Serbs - of the Mauthausen Nazi concentration camp. Dacic visited the Mauthausen Memorial to attend the marking of 68 years of the liberation of the largest Second World War concentration camp in the territory of modern-day Austria. (Tanjug) Tanjug

"EU date for Serbia without new conditions"

The Austrian official told a joint news conference that Austria fully supports Serbia and will work very hard at the next Council of the EU meeting to make sure Serbia gets the date.

"We have seen what Serbia has done in recent months and weeks in terms of understanding with its neighbors and everyday life issues. This is a great success and I want to say we especially appreciate what Prime Minister Dačić has achieved with Serbia's neighbors under the guidance of EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton," said Spindelegger.

"It is clear to us that one side, Serbia, has agreed on a 19-point program with Kosovo, which will now be implemented, and this for me is the condition for the next step, which is awarding a date. I am not in favor of new conditions, I want us to follow to the letter what we promised. If Serbia moves in this direction, it will get the date," he said.

Spindelegger said he will gladly talk to his colleagues in the EU, Germany included, about supporting this step and giving a positive response regarding the date.

He said he and Dačić also talked about economic relations, noting that Austria has invested around EUR 3 billion in Serbia.

Austria is the biggest investor with 450 active companies and we want to build even stronger economic ties. When I next visit Serbia, I will bring along a business delegation, said Spindelegger.

He also pointed to another bridge connecting Vienna and Belgrade - the large number of Austrian citizens of Serb descent.

Spindelegger said he and Dačić agreed the two countries will cooperate even more closely in the future, with more frequent visits between officials.

He invited Dačić to take part in the next European Forum Wachau.

The Serbian prime minister started his visit to Austria on Sunday when he laid wreaths at the memorial to Yugoslav victims - the majority of whom were Serbs - of the Mauthausen Nazi concentration camp.

Dačić visited the Mauthausen Memorial to attend the marking of 68 years of the liberation of the largest Second World War concentration camp in the territory of modern-day Austria.