"EU membership is Serbia’s strategic goal"

BELGRADE Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic told Cypriot FM Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis on Wednesday that the EU membership was Serbia’s strategic goal. According to him, the goal guarantees new perspectives for development of the domestic economy. "EU membership is Serbia’s strategic goal" Nikolic stressed that Serbia was a very important country in the region and that he was hoping that progress in the EU accession process would be made in December, his office has released. The Cypriot foreign minister is on her first official visit since her country took over the six-month rotating presidency of the EU on July 1. Kozakou-Marcoullis met with Serbian FM Vuk Jeremic earlier today. The Serbian minister said after the meeting that Kosovo’s request to become a UN member during his UN General Assembly presidency would be “an act of senseless provocation” that he would not allow. “As long Serbia presides over the UN, in the next year, it could only happen over my dead body,” Jeremic stated. He, however, expressed hope that such request would not be made. The Serbian FM repeated that two UN Security Council members had a clear stance on Kosovo, just like Serbia - that Kosovo was not a state and that it could not become a UN member as such. According to announcements, Kozakou-Marcoullis will also meet with PM-designate Ivica Dacic and former Serbian president and Democratic Party (DS) leader Boris Tadic. “The goal of the visit is to stress how important it is for Cyrpus, as the country presiding over the EU, to encourage and boost the perspective of the Western Balkans in the EU, and especially the European perspective of Serbia, which we consider the key country in the region,” said Cyprus’ Ambassador Nafsika Krousti ahead of the visit. After Serbia, the Cypriot minister will proceed to Montenegro. She last visited Belgrade in 2007, during her previous term. Cyprus is one of five EU countries that have not recognized Kosovo. Taking over the EU presidency, Nicosia reiterated it did not recognize Kosovo's independence, but pledged to preside in a neutral and credible manner, taking into account the positions of all 27 member countries. At the same time, Cyprus stressed that any actions during its presidency of the Council of the EU should not in any way be interpreted as a shift in its position regarding Kosovo's independence or its status under international law, states the declaration Cyprus passed before taking on its new role. (Tanjug) “Recognition of Kosovo not condition for EU” “Recognition of Kosovo's independence is not a condition for Serbia's EU membership and we hope the country will get a date for the beginning of pre-accession talks with the Union in December,” Kozakou-Marcoullis said ahead of her Wednesday's visit to Belgrade. She told daily Vecernje novosti that the European Union had not set the recognition of Kosovo's independence as a condition for Serbia's EU accession, which, as she put it, was clearly stated in conclusions adopted by the EU Council of Ministers and the European Council. “Moreover, it should not be forgotten that, due to the fact that five EU member countries, including the Republic of Cyprus, have not recognized the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo, there is no joint position on Kosovo's status within the EU. However, further progress in Serbia's EU prospects is related to the issue of Kosovo and the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina,” said Kozakou-Marcoulli. Pointing out that Serbia is the key country in the Western Balkans and within the process of EU integration, the minister voiced hope that all necessary conditions that would make it possible for the European Council to decide on opening pre-accession talks with Serbia in December would be met. “However, reaching this ambitious goal mainly depends on Serbia itself and the progress it should make in keeping with the conditions set out by the EU through conclusions adopted by the General Affairs Council in December 2011. To that end, the report on Serbia's progress that the European Commission will present this year in October will be essential,” she concluded. B92 Tanjug

"EU membership is Serbia’s strategic goal"

Nikolić stressed that Serbia was a very important country in the region and that he was hoping that progress in the EU accession process would be made in December, his office has released.

The Cypriot foreign minister is on her first official visit since her country took over the six-month rotating presidency of the EU on July 1.

Kozakou-Marcoullis met with Serbian FM Vuk Jeremić earlier today. The Serbian minister said after the meeting that Kosovo’s request to become a UN member during his UN General Assembly presidency would be “an act of senseless provocation” that he would not allow.

“As long Serbia presides over the UN, in the next year, it could only happen over my dead body,” Jeremić stated.

He, however, expressed hope that such request would not be made. The Serbian FM repeated that two UN Security Council members had a clear stance on Kosovo, just like Serbia - that Kosovo was not a state and that it could not become a UN member as such.

According to announcements, Kozakou-Marcoullis will also meet with PM-designate Ivica Dačić and former Serbian president and Democratic Party (DS) leader Boris Tadić.

“The goal of the visit is to stress how important it is for Cyrpus, as the country presiding over the EU, to encourage and boost the perspective of the Western Balkans in the EU, and especially the European perspective of Serbia, which we consider the key country in the region,” said Cyprus’ Ambassador Nafsika Krousti ahead of the visit.

After Serbia, the Cypriot minister will proceed to Montenegro.

She last visited Belgrade in 2007, during her previous term.

Cyprus is one of five EU countries that have not recognized Kosovo.

Taking over the EU presidency, Nicosia reiterated it did not recognize Kosovo's independence, but pledged to preside in a neutral and credible manner, taking into account the positions of all 27 member countries.

At the same time, Cyprus stressed that any actions during its presidency of the Council of the EU should not in any way be interpreted as a shift in its position regarding Kosovo's independence or its status under international law, states the declaration Cyprus passed before taking on its new role.

“Recognition of Kosovo not condition for EU”

“Recognition of Kosovo's independence is not a condition for Serbia's EU membership and we hope the country will get a date for the beginning of pre-accession talks with the Union in December,” Kozakou-Marcoullis said ahead of her Wednesday's visit to Belgrade.

She told daily Večernje novosti that the European Union had not set the recognition of Kosovo's independence as a condition for Serbia's EU accession, which, as she put it, was clearly stated in conclusions adopted by the EU Council of Ministers and the European Council.

“Moreover, it should not be forgotten that, due to the fact that five EU member countries, including the Republic of Cyprus, have not recognized the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo, there is no joint position on Kosovo's status within the EU. However, further progress in Serbia's EU prospects is related to the issue of Kosovo and the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Priština,” said Kozakou-Marcoulli.

Pointing out that Serbia is the key country in the Western Balkans and within the process of EU integration, the minister voiced hope that all necessary conditions that would make it possible for the European Council to decide on opening pre-accession talks with Serbia in December would be met.

“However, reaching this ambitious goal mainly depends on Serbia itself and the progress it should make in keeping with the conditions set out by the EU through conclusions adopted by the General Affairs Council in December 2011. To that end, the report on Serbia's progress that the European Commission will present this year in October will be essential,” she concluded.