German FM to arrive in Belgrade

BELGRADE Germany’s Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle will pay a two-day visit to Serbia and discuss the implementation of the Brussels agreement with Serbian officials. Serbia’s PM Ivica Dacic has stated that it is important that the German minister is visiting Belgrade ahead of Bundestag's decision on whether Serbia should be given a date for the start of the EU accession talks or not. German FM to arrive in Belgrade He added that the EU wanted to make sure that the Belgrade-Pristina agreement would be implemented and that it would not only be a “dead letter” if Serbia got the date for the beginning of the EU accession negotiations. Westerwelle will arrive in Belgrade on Sunday evening and will first meet with Serbian First Deputy PM Aleksandar Vucic over a working dinner. Vucic and Westerwelle will hold a press conference after the meeting. Daily Vecernje novosti has learned that two crucial topics – the issue of citizenship and identity documents of Kosovo Serbs will be discussed. The daily writes that a deal on the implementation of the Brussels agreement will depend on the outcome of the talks on the two issues that are very important to Belgrade. Belgrade demands that Kosovo Serbs be guaranteed Serbian citizenship and that they be allowed to participate in local elections with Serbian documents. Westerwelle will inform Serbian officials about Germany’s expectations and Berlin’s conditions in order to give the green light for a date for the beginning of the EU accession talks on June 28. Vecernje novosti has learned that Westerwelle will stress that Berlin will exert additional pressure on Pristina to give up on a request to immediately abolish Serbian institutions in Kosovo and that Belgrade should in return show good will to implement parts of the agreement that refer to police and judiciary as soon as possible. According to the daily, Washington has agreed to let the Serbian institutions function until local elections in the fall that will be jointly organized by Pristina, Belgrade and OSCE. The community of Serb municipalities should be formed after the elections. The German FM will on Monday meet with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic. Westerwelle is visiting Belgrade ahead of Dacic's meeting with Kosovo PM Hahim Thaci in Brussels on May 21. After the meetings with the Serbian officials, the German foreign minister will travel to Pristina. Guido Westerwelle (Tanjug, file) Beta Tanjug

German FM to arrive in Belgrade

He added that the EU wanted to make sure that the Belgrade-Priština agreement would be implemented and that it would not only be a “dead letter” if Serbia got the date for the beginning of the EU accession negotiations.

Westerwelle will arrive in Belgrade on Sunday evening and will first meet with Serbian First Deputy PM Aleksandar Vučić over a working dinner.

Vučić and Westerwelle will hold a press conference after the meeting.

Daily Večernje novosti has learned that two crucial topics – the issue of citizenship and identity documents of Kosovo Serbs will be discussed.

The daily writes that a deal on the implementation of the Brussels agreement will depend on the outcome of the talks on the two issues that are very important to Belgrade.

Belgrade demands that Kosovo Serbs be guaranteed Serbian citizenship and that they be allowed to participate in local elections with Serbian documents.

Westerwelle will inform Serbian officials about Germany’s expectations and Berlin’s conditions in order to give the green light for a date for the beginning of the EU accession talks on June 28.

Večernje novosti has learned that Westerwelle will stress that Berlin will exert additional pressure on Priština to give up on a request to immediately abolish Serbian institutions in Kosovo and that Belgrade should in return show good will to implement parts of the agreement that refer to police and judiciary as soon as possible.

According to the daily, Washington has agreed to let the Serbian institutions function until local elections in the fall that will be jointly organized by Priština, Belgrade and OSCE. The community of Serb municipalities should be formed after the elections.

The German FM will on Monday meet with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić, Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkić.

Westerwelle is visiting Belgrade ahead of Dačić's meeting with Kosovo PM Hahim Thaci in Brussels on May 21.

After the meetings with the Serbian officials, the German foreign minister will travel to Priština.