BELGRADE -- Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić on Monday in Belgrade opened an informal ministerial gathering of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP).
BELGRADE -- Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić on Monday in Belgrade opened an informal ministerial gathering of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP).
Source: Tanjug
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He proposed a joint ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the Balkan wars, under the motto "From Balkan war to Balkan peace."
"The phrase really unifies what we strive for, an unbreakable pattern of lasting cooperation between the nations included in the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP)," he told the gathering in Belgrade today.
The key question is whether the countries of Southeastern Europe have the will for such an effort after a century marked by political confrontation and constant wars, he stressed.
According to Jeremić, it is possible to achieve that through a combination of hope, self-confidence and imagination.
It is not just a joint vision and leaders' courage that is needed, but to direct strategic predictions so the whole region could benefit from such an effort, Jeremić remarked.
Success rests in the ability to give up on old views in which others are seen as enemies and rivals, he thinks.
"In the future, we will have to work together to find solutions to open issues in a way that would be acceptable to all who live in our countries," he underlined.
"We will have to keep ourselves free of cynicism, fear and doubt. Such people have never been able to solve problems, but instead hung on to them until they reached boiling point," Jeremić stated.
The informal summit in Belgrade brought together, among others, Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusić, Montenegrin Foreign Minister Milan Roćen, Greek Foreign Minister Stavros Dimas, Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki, and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, as well as Head of the EU European External Action Service Miroslav Lajčak and Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Hido Biščević.
Jeremić told journalists ahead of the meeting that a joint effort by regional neighbors could turn the anniversary into “yet another opportunity to get closer together and look to a common future, despite the fact that the entire region and the whole continent is faced with really serious problems.”
“Today, we meet in Belgrade at the moment so difficult for the economy of Europe and the whole world. The economic moment is entailing political consequences, one of which is the enlargement enthusiasm ebbing, at least when it comes to the EU's speedy enlargement to the Balkans,” the Serbian minister said.
The new developments only call for a more committed regional cooperation, Jeremić stressed.
"In the times to come we will turn to one another and there will be an increasing need for a closer engagement within the neighborhood," Jeremić said.
Pointing out that Tuesday's meeting was "extremely important", he recalled that last year Serbia had presided over practically all current regional organizations in this part of Europe.
In 2012, Serbia took over the presidency of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, and a decision on the OSCE presidency for 2015 will be formally reached this year as well, the foreign minister said.
He announced that the regular South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Summit will also be held in Belgrade this year.
Jeremić is also holding a number of bilateral talks at the sidelines of the meeting.
Little Vuk is trying to make friends, but to no avail. He likes putting himself on the King's throne, but a court jester can't fool anyone.
(The Count of Kosova, 31 January 2012 16:41)
No Serb ever will try to make friends with Albanians or Croats...
This is only show for Westerners to convince them we are the good guys...
Only me, please look at the actions of the Albanians, Bosnian Muslims, and Croatians during the last century, and you will have your answer. Serbia is certainly not responsible for all the conflicts in the Balkans in the last 100 years. The problems is the fact that everyone in the Balkans always wanted some sort of independence - independence from what or whom? It is still going on. It is mind boggling. Just look at the recent actions in Macedonia. What do the Albanians want there? Do they want an Islamic state? That is the problem with the Balkans, no one wants any kind of rule from anyone else. There is zero harmony. And unfortunately, it will continue this way. Vuk is of little power here, so do not get to worked up about him - for those that do not like Serbs.
(PapaJohn, 31 January 2012 21:04)
and who was the one that triggered all the Balkan wars. you're being the little Americans of the balkans... this is ridiculous.
(only me, 31 January 2012 14:20)
No one country started the Balkan wars. Each country had its own agenda. Each country of course proclaims that its enemy started the wars. If people in the Balkans wanted to live together peacefully, they would have found a way to do so. Blaming others only occurs when one cannot look himself in the mirror to see his own dark soul. Look in the mirror and you will see from where the hatred stems and you will see who is to blame for the Balkan wars. This is directed to everyone, regardless of nationality or ethnicity, including my own American people.
(Daniel, 31 January 2012 20:28)
Little Vuk is trying to make friends, but to no avail. He likes putting himself on the King's throne, but a court jester can't fool anyone.
(The Count of Kosova, 31 January 2012 16:41)
and who was the one that triggered all the Balkan wars. you're being the little Americans of the balkans... this is ridiculous.
(only me, 31 January 2012 14:20)
Little Vuk is trying to make friends, but to no avail. He likes putting himself on the King's throne, but a court jester can't fool anyone.
(The Count of Kosova, 31 January 2012 16:41)
and who was the one that triggered all the Balkan wars. you're being the little Americans of the balkans... this is ridiculous.
(only me, 31 January 2012 14:20)
Only me, please look at the actions of the Albanians, Bosnian Muslims, and Croatians during the last century, and you will have your answer. Serbia is certainly not responsible for all the conflicts in the Balkans in the last 100 years. The problems is the fact that everyone in the Balkans always wanted some sort of independence - independence from what or whom? It is still going on. It is mind boggling. Just look at the recent actions in Macedonia. What do the Albanians want there? Do they want an Islamic state? That is the problem with the Balkans, no one wants any kind of rule from anyone else. There is zero harmony. And unfortunately, it will continue this way. Vuk is of little power here, so do not get to worked up about him - for those that do not like Serbs.
(PapaJohn, 31 January 2012 21:04)
and who was the one that triggered all the Balkan wars. you're being the little Americans of the balkans... this is ridiculous.
(only me, 31 January 2012 14:20)
No one country started the Balkan wars. Each country had its own agenda. Each country of course proclaims that its enemy started the wars. If people in the Balkans wanted to live together peacefully, they would have found a way to do so. Blaming others only occurs when one cannot look himself in the mirror to see his own dark soul. Look in the mirror and you will see from where the hatred stems and you will see who is to blame for the Balkan wars. This is directed to everyone, regardless of nationality or ethnicity, including my own American people.
(Daniel, 31 January 2012 20:28)
Little Vuk is trying to make friends, but to no avail. He likes putting himself on the King's throne, but a court jester can't fool anyone.
(The Count of Kosova, 31 January 2012 16:41)
No Serb ever will try to make friends with Albanians or Croats...
This is only show for Westerners to convince them we are the good guys...
Little Vuk is trying to make friends, but to no avail. He likes putting himself on the King's throne, but a court jester can't fool anyone.
(The Count of Kosova, 31 January 2012 16:41)
and who was the one that triggered all the Balkan wars. you're being the little Americans of the balkans... this is ridiculous.
(only me, 31 January 2012 14:20)
Little Vuk is trying to make friends, but to no avail. He likes putting himself on the King's throne, but a court jester can't fool anyone.
(The Count of Kosova, 31 January 2012 16:41)
No Serb ever will try to make friends with Albanians or Croats...
This is only show for Westerners to convince them we are the good guys...
and who was the one that triggered all the Balkan wars. you're being the little Americans of the balkans... this is ridiculous.
(only me, 31 January 2012 14:20)
No one country started the Balkan wars. Each country had its own agenda. Each country of course proclaims that its enemy started the wars. If people in the Balkans wanted to live together peacefully, they would have found a way to do so. Blaming others only occurs when one cannot look himself in the mirror to see his own dark soul. Look in the mirror and you will see from where the hatred stems and you will see who is to blame for the Balkan wars. This is directed to everyone, regardless of nationality or ethnicity, including my own American people.
(Daniel, 31 January 2012 20:28)
Only me, please look at the actions of the Albanians, Bosnian Muslims, and Croatians during the last century, and you will have your answer. Serbia is certainly not responsible for all the conflicts in the Balkans in the last 100 years. The problems is the fact that everyone in the Balkans always wanted some sort of independence - independence from what or whom? It is still going on. It is mind boggling. Just look at the recent actions in Macedonia. What do the Albanians want there? Do they want an Islamic state? That is the problem with the Balkans, no one wants any kind of rule from anyone else. There is zero harmony. And unfortunately, it will continue this way. Vuk is of little power here, so do not get to worked up about him - for those that do not like Serbs.
(PapaJohn, 31 January 2012 21:04)