Jeremić: Norway, Serbia have excellent relations

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic was in Oslo Friday for an official visit to Norway. Agencies report that he conveyed to his hosts Belgrade's readiness to "participate constructively" in a new round of negotiations on the future status of Kosovo, and voiced hope that it would result in a compromise acceptable to both sides. Jeremic: Norway, Serbia have excellent relations In a statement to Tanjug at the end of his visit, Jeremic said that he and his interlocutors in Oslo had agreed on the critical role of the UN Security Council in the search for a compromise solution for the future of Serbia's southern province. "Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store said that Oslo supports a process that will lead to an acceptable, i.e. compromise solution for the future status of Kosovo-Metohija," Jeremic added. The AP reports that Jeremic also warned independence for Kosovo could plunge the Balkans into a repeat of the crises of the 1990s. "We have a history of unilateralism in the Balkans and in the 1990s we all know how it played out and let's not repeat the mistakes of the past," he said. "We cannot accept anything that would amount to the infringement on the territory and the sovereignty of Serbia," he added. The agency noted that "Western countries worry that ethnic Albanians, the majority population in Kosovo, might unilaterally declare independence". "I think it would be a very, very dangerous step," Jeremic said. "Any unilateral act would severely destabilize the region." He said that the main topic of the meetings Friday had been "the deepening of the traditionally good relations between Norway and Serbia", especially in the field of economy, defense and security. Jeremic also met with his Norwegian counterpart, Jonas Gahr Store, and Defense Minister Anne Grete Storm-Erichsen, representatives of the Norwegian parliament's foreign policy committee and the Telenor president. "Both overall and last year, Norway was the greatest investor in Serbia and it is interested in continuing with investments in our country," Jeremic told the official Serbian news agency, Tanjug. The minister said that as a result of positive experiences in this field, an economic conference on investments in Serbia would be organized in Oslo in October and that all Serbian enterprises who wish to participate will be invited there. The Serbian government will be represented at the event at the ministerial level. Jeremic and his Norwegian hosts paid particular attention to the military and security cooperation, since Norway has actively participated in the process of modernizing of the Serbian Army (VS) and reform of the defense system since 2003. "We discussed the possibility for joint appearance in UN peacekeeping operations and possibilities for closer cooperation within the Partnership for Peace," Jeremic said. Today's visit to Norway was the first by a Serbian foreign minister. President Boris Tadic is also scheduled to travel to Oslo in December. Serbia to take part in Bucharest diplomatic conference It was announced Thursday that Jeremic and his French and British colleagues Bernard Couchner and David Miliband will participate in the Romanian diplomacy's annual meeting in Bucharest on September 3-5, Tanjug reported. This year's meeting is very important for the country, because Romania's ten-year Foreign Policy Strategy will be presented there, local media said. This is the first time that Romania has invited other countries' dimplomacy chiefs to the meeting and in addition to the two big European countries, Bucharest has also invited Jeremic, a special gesture towards Serbia with which Romania has traditionally good diplomatic relations, reports said. The Serbian Foreign Ministry has confirmed for Tanjug that as part of his visit to Romania on September 4, Jeremic will attend the annual meeting of the Romanian diplomacy.

Jeremić: Norway, Serbia have excellent relations

In a statement to Tanjug at the end of his visit, Jeremić said that he and his interlocutors in Oslo had agreed on the critical role of the UN Security Council in the search for a compromise solution for the future of Serbia's southern province.

"Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store said that Oslo supports a process that will lead to an acceptable, i.e. compromise solution for the future status of Kosovo-Metohija," Jeremić added.

The AP reports that Jeremić also warned independence for Kosovo could plunge the Balkans into a repeat of the crises of the 1990s.

"We have a history of unilateralism in the Balkans and in the 1990s we all know how it played out and let's not repeat the mistakes of the past," he said.

"We cannot accept anything that would amount to the infringement on the territory and the sovereignty of Serbia," he added.

The agency noted that "Western countries worry that ethnic Albanians, the majority population in Kosovo, might unilaterally declare independence".

"I think it would be a very, very dangerous step," Jeremić said. "Any unilateral act would severely destabilize the region."

He said that the main topic of the meetings Friday had been "the deepening of the traditionally good relations between Norway and Serbia", especially in the field of economy, defense and security.

Jeremić also met with his Norwegian counterpart, Jonas Gahr Store, and Defense Minister Anne Grete Storm-Erichsen, representatives of the Norwegian parliament's foreign policy committee and the Telenor president.

"Both overall and last year, Norway was the greatest investor in Serbia and it is interested in continuing with investments in our country," Jeremić told the official Serbian news agency, Tanjug.

The minister said that as a result of positive experiences in this field, an economic conference on investments in Serbia would be organized in Oslo in October and that all Serbian enterprises who wish to participate will be invited there.

The Serbian government will be represented at the event at the ministerial level.

Jeremić and his Norwegian hosts paid particular attention to the military and security cooperation, since Norway has actively participated in the process of modernizing of the Serbian Army (VS) and reform of the defense system since 2003.

"We discussed the possibility for joint appearance in UN peacekeeping operations and possibilities for closer cooperation within the Partnership for Peace," Jeremić said.

Today's visit to Norway was the first by a Serbian foreign minister. President Boris Tadić is also scheduled to travel to Oslo in December.

Serbia to take part in Bucharest diplomatic conference

It was announced Thursday that Jeremić and his French and British colleagues Bernard Couchner and David Miliband will participate in the Romanian diplomacy's annual meeting in Bucharest on September 3-5, Tanjug reported.

This year's meeting is very important for the country, because Romania's ten-year Foreign Policy Strategy will be presented there, local media said.

This is the first time that Romania has invited other countries' dimplomacy chiefs to the meeting and in addition to the two big European countries, Bucharest has also invited Jeremić, a special gesture towards Serbia with which Romania has traditionally good diplomatic relations, reports said.

The Serbian Foreign Ministry has confirmed for Tanjug that as part of his visit to Romania on September 4, Jeremić will attend the annual meeting of the Romanian diplomacy.