"Serbia will be priority for France"

Serbia will have a place of priority in the French Western Balkans policy, Ambassador Jean Francois Terral told B92 in an exclusive interview. France is taking over the EU's six/month rotating presidency from Slovenia on July 1. "Serbia will be priority for France" Terral said that the long-established opinion about Serbia originated from "bad memories of the times of Milosevic’s rule", but added that he perceived a shift that has led to Serbia’s appreciation as the country with the greatest possibilities in the Balkans. "I can say, that, as far as France is concerned, Serbia has the priority among the Western Balkan states. That’s why we’ve done so much, especially in an effort to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement." "And we will continue along the same lines. What's the next step – it's achieving the candidate status. We need to work on that, but so does Serbia,” the French ambassador to Belgrade said. B92: How realistic is this plan of Serbia to achieve the candidate status by the end of 2008? Terral: I’m not particularly fond of deadlines, because there is always an artificial factor involved. To tell you the truth, I am most impressed by the efforts done by the Deputy PM Djelic and the EU Integration Office. I cannot say if this process will be completed by the end of the year. For instance, parliament needs to adopt a large number of laws. What’s important now is that the SAA provides a clear path towards that process, and that there is a strong political will to bring that business to an end. I am an optimist and I can tell you that the French policy will be dedicated to its maximum to these efforts. B92: Will the recognition of Kosovo’s unilateral independence be a condition Serbia will have to fulfill in the integration process? Terral: No. I think that the crucial thing will be the fulfillment of the so-called Copenhagen Terms. This is something every country must go through on its path towards the EU. But as far as Serbia and other countries in the region are concerned, there is one more, clearly defined term – full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. If the decision we are hoping for, concerning Ratko Mladic, is adopted, then, I think that Serbia will gain a huge advantage and that the process of integration will be significantly accelerated. Kosovo should be solved peacefully. Concrete problems should be resolved, problems such as borders, police, the judicial system. But it is a process that should run parallel with the process of EU integration. If the Kosovo problem were to resolve in a positive direction, it would ease the situation, but it would, by no means, be a condition. B92: But, surely, you remember statements that Serbia must choose. It’s either Kosovo or the EU, but not both? Terral: Serbia will one day have its place in the European Union. When it comes to the Kosovo issue, we are concerned about how to protect Serbia’s legitimate, historic interests in Kosovo. And that’s all. For us, as you already know, the question of its status has already been solved, and that’s all I can tell you. Jean Francois Terral (FoNet)

"Serbia will be priority for France"

Terral said that the long-established opinion about Serbia originated from "bad memories of the times of Milošević’s rule", but added that he perceived a shift that has led to Serbia’s appreciation as the country with the greatest possibilities in the Balkans.

"I can say, that, as far as France is concerned, Serbia has the priority among the Western Balkan states. That’s why we’ve done so much, especially in an effort to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement."

"And we will continue along the same lines. What's the next step – it's achieving the candidate status. We need to work on that, but so does Serbia,” the French ambassador to Belgrade said.

B92: How realistic is this plan of Serbia to achieve the candidate status by the end of 2008?

Terral: I’m not particularly fond of deadlines, because there is always an artificial factor involved. To tell you the truth, I am most impressed by the efforts done by the Deputy PM Đelić and the EU Integration Office. I cannot say if this process will be completed by the end of the year. For instance, parliament needs to adopt a large number of laws.

What’s important now is that the SAA provides a clear path towards that process, and that there is a strong political will to bring that business to an end. I am an optimist and I can tell you that the French policy will be dedicated to its maximum to these efforts.

B92: Will the recognition of Kosovo’s unilateral independence be a condition Serbia will have to fulfill in the integration process?

Terral: No. I think that the crucial thing will be the fulfillment of the so-called Copenhagen Terms. This is something every country must go through on its path towards the EU. But as far as Serbia and other countries in the region are concerned, there is one more, clearly defined term – full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. If the decision we are hoping for, concerning Ratko Mladić, is adopted, then, I think that Serbia will gain a huge advantage and that the process of integration will be significantly accelerated.

Kosovo should be solved peacefully. Concrete problems should be resolved, problems such as borders, police, the judicial system. But it is a process that should run parallel with the process of EU integration. If the Kosovo problem were to resolve in a positive direction, it would ease the situation, but it would, by no means, be a condition.

B92: But, surely, you remember statements that Serbia must choose. It’s either Kosovo or the EU, but not both?

Terral: Serbia will one day have its place in the European Union. When it comes to the Kosovo issue, we are concerned about how to protect Serbia’s legitimate, historic interests in Kosovo. And that’s all. For us, as you already know, the question of its status has already been solved, and that’s all I can tell you.