Cypriot foreign minister visits Belgrade

Cypriot Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou arrived in Belgrade for a one-day visit, during which he met with the country's top-ranking officials. Kyprianou has conferred with his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic, and also with Serbian President Boris Tadic. Cypriot foreign minister visits Belgrade Jeremic and Kyprianou agreed that the process of Serbia's accession to the European Union (EU) should be accelerated as much as possible despite all political obstacles in Europe and in the region. Kyprianou reiterated that Cyprus fully supports Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and added that Cyprus' position on the matter remains firm and unchanged, as Nicosia will not recognise Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence. Jeremic was very glad to hear from Kyprianou that the Cypriot parliament ratified the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Serbia and the EU last week. Nicosia fully supports Serbia's European perspective and believes that Serbia should become a member of the EU, as Cyprus has already stated in the European Council, Kyprianou said. Serbia's EU accession would be very useful not only to Serbia and the region, but also to the entire Europe, the Cypriot diplomat said and expressed expectation that the European Commission will issue its opinion on Serbia's status on its EU path by the end of the year. Kyprianou pointed out that, since there is no joint stand within the EU itself regarding the Kosovo issue, Serbia cannot be requested to recognize Kosovo's independence in order to join the EU. Cyprus will provide political support to Serbia on its EU path, Kyprianou said and added that Cyprus will assist Serbia and share its experiences with Belgrade when Serbia obtains the candidate status, since the EU path is difficult and painstaking for every country. Jeremic underlined that there is no doubt as to Cyprus being Serbia's closest partner and its best friend in the EU, and Kyprianou noted that Cyprus and Serbia share a long history of close relations based on mutual trust. Kyprianou stated that the two countries' political relations are excellent, but that there is still room for improvement in the economy sector, primarily in the domain of trade and investments. Serbia reiterated its strong support to Nicosia's stand regarding the Cyprus issue, and Kyprianou thanked Serbia on its principled stand and policy. All open issues in Europe need to be solved through dialogue and negotiations based on the international law and on the binding decisions of the United Nations Security Council, Jeremic concluded. Kyprianou and Jeremic in Belgrade today (Beta) "No change" Before departing for Belgrade, Kyprianou told Tanjug that he hopes the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue will start as soon as possible. The minister reiterated the stand of the official Nicosia that Cyprus fully supports and respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia and that it will not recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo. "Cyprus believes that the province of Kosovo-Metohija is an integral part of Serbia, and the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 entrusted UNMIK with the administration in the province," Kyprianou said. Speaking about the advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence, the minister stated that this decision confirmed the legal framework behind Kosovo's status, while the UN SC Resolution 1244 remained in force. He also reminded that the Serbia-EU Resolution on the ICJ advisory opinion, which was submitted to the UN General Assembly in September, underscored the necessity of a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina as a way ahead which the EU is willing to assist. The Cypriot minister pointed out that his country also strongly supports Serbia's EU accession, and added that the Belgrade government is investing great efforts to accomplish this goal. Cyprus was and will continue to be one of the most fervent EU supporters of the institutional initiation and acknowledgement of Serbia's efforts aimed at EU accession, Kyprianou said. According to the minister, the response of the Serbian government to the vast package of questions, which the European Commission (EC) recently delivered to Serbian authorities, will be the point on which the EC will found its opinion and its recommendation to the EU Council. Cyprus encourages Serbia to raise its cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia to the required level so as to be able to pursue its EU accession, Kyprianou said and added that Cyprus is ready to assist and share its experiences with Serbia in this matter.

Cypriot foreign minister visits Belgrade

Jeremić and Kyprianou agreed that the process of Serbia's accession to the European Union (EU) should be accelerated as much as possible despite all political obstacles in Europe and in the region.

Kyprianou reiterated that Cyprus fully supports Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and added that Cyprus' position on the matter remains firm and unchanged, as Nicosia will not recognise Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence.

Jeremić was very glad to hear from Kyprianou that the Cypriot parliament ratified the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Serbia and the EU last week.

Nicosia fully supports Serbia's European perspective and believes that Serbia should become a member of the EU, as Cyprus has already stated in the European Council, Kyprianou said.

Serbia's EU accession would be very useful not only to Serbia and the region, but also to the entire Europe, the Cypriot diplomat said and expressed expectation that the European Commission will issue its opinion on Serbia's status on its EU path by the end of the year.

Kyprianou pointed out that, since there is no joint stand within the EU itself regarding the Kosovo issue, Serbia cannot be requested to recognize Kosovo's independence in order to join the EU.

Cyprus will provide political support to Serbia on its EU path, Kyprianou said and added that Cyprus will assist Serbia and share its experiences with Belgrade when Serbia obtains the candidate status, since the EU path is difficult and painstaking for every country.

Jeremić underlined that there is no doubt as to Cyprus being Serbia's closest partner and its best friend in the EU, and Kyprianou noted that Cyprus and Serbia share a long history of close relations based on mutual trust.

Kyprianou stated that the two countries' political relations are excellent, but that there is still room for improvement in the economy sector, primarily in the domain of trade and investments.

Serbia reiterated its strong support to Nicosia's stand regarding the Cyprus issue, and Kyprianou thanked Serbia on its principled stand and policy.

All open issues in Europe need to be solved through dialogue and negotiations based on the international law and on the binding decisions of the United Nations Security Council, Jeremić concluded.

"No change"

Before departing for Belgrade, Kyprianou told Tanjug that he hopes the Belgrade-Priština dialogue will start as soon as possible.

The minister reiterated the stand of the official Nicosia that Cyprus fully supports and respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia and that it will not recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo.

"Cyprus believes that the province of Kosovo-Metohija is an integral part of Serbia, and the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 entrusted UNMIK with the administration in the province," Kyprianou said.

Speaking about the advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence, the minister stated that this decision confirmed the legal framework behind Kosovo's status, while the UN SC Resolution 1244 remained in force.

He also reminded that the Serbia-EU Resolution on the ICJ advisory opinion, which was submitted to the UN General Assembly in September, underscored the necessity of a dialogue between Belgrade and Priština as a way ahead which the EU is willing to assist.

The Cypriot minister pointed out that his country also strongly supports Serbia's EU accession, and added that the Belgrade government is investing great efforts to accomplish this goal.

Cyprus was and will continue to be one of the most fervent EU supporters of the institutional initiation and acknowledgement of Serbia's efforts aimed at EU accession, Kyprianou said.

According to the minister, the response of the Serbian government to the vast package of questions, which the European Commission (EC) recently delivered to Serbian authorities, will be the point on which the EC will found its opinion and its recommendation to the EU Council.

Cyprus encourages Serbia to raise its cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia to the required level so as to be able to pursue its EU accession, Kyprianou said and added that Cyprus is ready to assist and share its experiences with Serbia in this matter.