"SNS could betray Serbia like they betrayed Šešelj"

Serbia's "economic diplomacy" is the best indicator of how far the country's foreign policy had progressed, deputy leader of the opposition SNS party says. Taking part in a B92 TV program late on Monday along with Foreign Minister and high-ranking official of the ruling DS party official Vuk Jeremic, Aleksandar Vucic asserted that the economic aspect of the foreign policy was lacking results. "SNS could betray Serbia like they betrayed Seselj" "We want to join the EU, we want to maintain best relations with all big countries, but (we want) our entire diplomacy to think about economic progress," he stated, and added that his party was in favor of "professionalization and education of career diplomats, whose goal would be related to economic efforts and attracting investments". Jeremic responded by saying that "more could have been achieved", but that this work was done against the backdrop of the worst global economic crisis in the past 100 years, while Serbia's foreign policy was overall "very successful": "It has been conducted in a balanced, rational manner during the past four years, with clearly defined priorities: a diplomatic defense of our territory, the EU, regional cooperation." Jeremic added that in that time, Serbia became candidate for EU membership - moreover, "one with important strategic partnership with China, Russia's support at the (UN) Security Council, the first Western Balkans country to preside over the OSCE, that is capable of gathering the Non-Aligned in Belgrade". The foreign minister also counted among the country's achievements his bid to become the next president of the UN General Assembly. But Vucic was unimpressed and noted that whenever the ruling parties and the authorities "bragged" about Serbia's EU membership candidate status, "they forget to say that we are the last in the region, except Bosnia, to receive that status". "This should have happened sooner," the SNS official said. Jeremic particularly stressed the energy invested in convincing the world's important countries not to recognize Kosovo - after the province's ethnic Albanians unilaterally declared independence in early 2008. He mentioned the opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), announced in the summer of 2010, to note that after this, new recognitions amount to "only ten percent of the overall number". Jeremic stressed that it was also very important to prevent participation in international institutions of Kosovo acting as an independent country. "During the past four years Kosovo was expected to confirm its statehood, because it enjoyed active support from the most powerful (countries), but, contrary to all expectations, this did not happen, because our diplomatic stance in international circles was such to work and prevent it," he stated, and stressed that Serbia must never give in when it comes to Kosovo: "When it comes to the issue of territorial integrity, it is my opinion that this country must not give in - because if we do, that (Kosovo) will not be the last attempt to tear our country apart." According to Jeremic, had Serbia's foreign policy been conducted differently, "other parts of Serbia would already be in jeopardy". Vucic said that when it came to Kosovo Serbia had its Constitution "that nobody can trample on", and noted that his party would resolve all issues related to the Kosovo policy "through consensus of all important factors in Serbia's political scene". Jeremic went on to criticize the Progressives (SNS) as "an unknown entity": "I believe that you are an unknown entity - you could take the country to war like you already did once, and you could betray it like you betrayed Vojislav Seselj. This is the kind of unpredictability and extremism that is the greatest danger to a foreign policy." Vucic - whose party is an offshoot of Seselj's Serb Radicals (SRS) - responded by saying: "We love Serbia and will never betray her". (Tanjug, file) B92 Tanjug

"SNS could betray Serbia like they betrayed Šešelj"

"We want to join the EU, we want to maintain best relations with all big countries, but (we want) our entire diplomacy to think about economic progress," he stated, and added that his party was in favor of "professionalization and education of career diplomats, whose goal would be related to economic efforts and attracting investments".

Jeremić responded by saying that "more could have been achieved", but that this work was done against the backdrop of the worst global economic crisis in the past 100 years, while Serbia's foreign policy was overall "very successful":

"It has been conducted in a balanced, rational manner during the past four years, with clearly defined priorities: a diplomatic defense of our territory, the EU, regional cooperation."

Jeremić added that in that time, Serbia became candidate for EU membership - moreover, "one with important strategic partnership with China, Russia's support at the (UN) Security Council, the first Western Balkans country to preside over the OSCE, that is capable of gathering the Non-Aligned in Belgrade".

The foreign minister also counted among the country's achievements his bid to become the next president of the UN General Assembly.

But Vučić was unimpressed and noted that whenever the ruling parties and the authorities "bragged" about Serbia's EU membership candidate status, "they forget to say that we are the last in the region, except Bosnia, to receive that status".

"This should have happened sooner," the SNS official said.

Jeremić particularly stressed the energy invested in convincing the world's important countries not to recognize Kosovo - after the province's ethnic Albanians unilaterally declared independence in early 2008.

He mentioned the opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), announced in the summer of 2010, to note that after this, new recognitions amount to "only ten percent of the overall number". Jeremić stressed that it was also very important to prevent participation in international institutions of Kosovo acting as an independent country.

"During the past four years Kosovo was expected to confirm its statehood, because it enjoyed active support from the most powerful (countries), but, contrary to all expectations, this did not happen, because our diplomatic stance in international circles was such to work and prevent it," he stated, and stressed that Serbia must never give in when it comes to Kosovo:

"When it comes to the issue of territorial integrity, it is my opinion that this country must not give in - because if we do, that (Kosovo) will not be the last attempt to tear our country apart."

According to Jeremić, had Serbia's foreign policy been conducted differently, "other parts of Serbia would already be in jeopardy".

Vučić said that when it came to Kosovo Serbia had its Constitution "that nobody can trample on", and noted that his party would resolve all issues related to the Kosovo policy "through consensus of all important factors in Serbia's political scene".

Jeremić went on to criticize the Progressives (SNS) as "an unknown entity":

"I believe that you are an unknown entity - you could take the country to war like you already did once, and you could betray it like you betrayed Vojislav Šešelj. This is the kind of unpredictability and extremism that is the greatest danger to a foreign policy."

Vučić - whose party is an offshoot of Šešelj's Serb Radicals (SRS) - responded by saying: "We love Serbia and will never betray her".