Ambassador discusses Franco-Serbian relations

French Ambassador Jean-Francois Terral says that Serbia will never be asked to recognize Kosovo in order to become an EU member-state. However, he said that it was necessary for Belgrade to reach some kind of agreement with Pristina, adding that there were examples in international practice that could be used to achieve this. Ambassador discusses Franco-Serbian relations Terral told daily Vecernje Novosti that “France believes that it would be good for Serbia to focus its efforts on EU integration, because Serbia, as the most important country in the region, belongs in the EU.” French President Nicolas Sarkozy had said the same thing in talks with his Serbian counterpart Boris Tadic during their recent talks in Evian, the ambassador said. Terral added that it would be good for Serbia to commit to working on good neighborly relations with countries in the region, and to facilitate regional stability in that way, while adding that “the emphasis on the Kosovo question does not help this.” The ambassador said that the meeting between Tadic and Sarkozy in Evian had been “a real sign of the restoration of the intensity of our relations.” “We now have a very good situation for that: the Kosovo question, I suppose, will not be in the spotlight of political activity, and a pro-European majority is in power, which wants to assume a serious reformist role. We will be able to work together to achieve what, in my opinion, is currently most important for Serbia—economic development, reforms and Europe,” Terral said. He added that supporting EU integration and not accepting EULEX was contradictory, especially since “EULEX is not prejudging Kosovo’s status---even if for us, France, independence is undeniable—and that accepting the EULEX mission does not mean accepting and implementing the Ahtisaari Plan.” “EULEX is a European mission and we created it while bearing in mind the European framework we are offering the region,” Terral said. The ambassador said that Serbia would accede to the Schengen white list “as soon as possible,” as soon as it implements the measures required by the action plan—secure travel documents, effective border control, creating a universal information system, police cooperation, and the implementation of a readmissions procedure. Jean-Francois Terral, center right (FoNat, archive)

Ambassador discusses Franco-Serbian relations

Terral told daily Večernje Novosti that “France believes that it would be good for Serbia to focus its efforts on EU integration, because Serbia, as the most important country in the region, belongs in the EU.”

French President Nicolas Sarkozy had said the same thing in talks with his Serbian counterpart Boris Tadić during their recent talks in Evian, the ambassador said.

Terral added that it would be good for Serbia to commit to working on good neighborly relations with countries in the region, and to facilitate regional stability in that way, while adding that “the emphasis on the Kosovo question does not help this.”

The ambassador said that the meeting between Tadić and Sarkozy in Evian had been “a real sign of the restoration of the intensity of our relations.”

“We now have a very good situation for that: the Kosovo question, I suppose, will not be in the spotlight of political activity, and a pro-European majority is in power, which wants to assume a serious reformist role. We will be able to work together to achieve what, in my opinion, is currently most important for Serbia—economic development, reforms and Europe,” Terral said.

He added that supporting EU integration and not accepting EULEX was contradictory, especially since “EULEX is not prejudging Kosovo’s status---even if for us, France, independence is undeniable—and that accepting the EULEX mission does not mean accepting and implementing the Ahtisaari Plan.”

“EULEX is a European mission and we created it while bearing in mind the European framework we are offering the region,” Terral said.

The ambassador said that Serbia would accede to the Schengen white list “as soon as possible,” as soon as it implements the measures required by the action plan—secure travel documents, effective border control, creating a universal information system, police cooperation, and the implementation of a readmissions procedure.