UK ambassador wishes Serbia EU progress

British Ambassador to Belgrade Stephen Wordsworth has wished Serbia fast progress on the road to EU integration in 2009. In his New Year’s blog, Wordsworth writes that the UK wants the two countries to increase cooperation in 2009 and to “find a way of managing differences on Kosovo, so that we can disagree without that disagreement blocking other things.” UK ambassador wishes Serbia EU progress “There is a newly-elected President and Government, strongly committed to Serbia’s rapid integration into Europe… So the people whose violent and bitter tones dominated the beginning of the year are already, by its end, history. Serbia really has turned a page,” he said. “Serbia took a very important step towards finally resolving the issue of cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, with the arrest and hand-over of Radovan Karadzic,” Wordsworth said, adding that this, along with the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU, were Serbia’s two biggest achievements in 2009. “EU candidate member status is the big subject for the next twelve months, with EU membership coming more clearly into focus. The EU is supporting this process generously, spending millions of euros in Serbia every week on projects and activities to support Serbia’s transition and European integration. The governments of member states, including the UK, are adding more,” he said. He reiterated that there had been disagreements this year regarding Kosovo, however. “But we agree that we want to see no more violence there; that we want to see law and order fully established; that we want people there, of all communities, to have better chances of finding jobs and raising their families in peace; and that ultimately, somehow, we want to see the whole region, including Serbia and Kosovo, in the EU. So we found a way, despite our differences, to cooperate over EULEX. And there's a lot for it to do, as the latest events, sadly, have shown,” the ambassador said. “We want to take forward our bilateral cooperation, including our work with Serbia on the big international issues that concern us all—energy security, climate change, the world economy, the fight against organised crime and terrorism,” he said, adding that 2009 would be a difficult year for everyone. “The world is facing its biggest economic challenge for a long time. We will all be affected. But if we work together, we can get through it; and in twelve months' time, when we look back, we will see that we have built a much stronger foundation for Serbia’s success, and the success of the whole region,” Wordsworth concluded in his blog. Stephen Wordsworth (FoNet, archive)

UK ambassador wishes Serbia EU progress

“There is a newly-elected President and Government, strongly committed to Serbia’s rapid integration into Europe… So the people whose violent and bitter tones dominated the beginning of the year are already, by its end, history. Serbia really has turned a page,” he said.

“Serbia took a very important step towards finally resolving the issue of cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, with the arrest and hand-over of Radovan Karadžić,” Wordsworth said, adding that this, along with the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU, were Serbia’s two biggest achievements in 2009.

“EU candidate member status is the big subject for the next twelve months, with EU membership coming more clearly into focus. The EU is supporting this process generously, spending millions of euros in Serbia every week on projects and activities to support Serbia’s transition and European integration. The governments of member states, including the UK, are adding more,” he said.

He reiterated that there had been disagreements this year regarding Kosovo, however.

“But we agree that we want to see no more violence there; that we want to see law and order fully established; that we want people there, of all communities, to have better chances of finding jobs and raising their families in peace; and that ultimately, somehow, we want to see the whole region, including Serbia and Kosovo, in the EU. So we found a way, despite our differences, to cooperate over EULEX. And there's a lot for it to do, as the latest events, sadly, have shown,” the ambassador said.

“We want to take forward our bilateral cooperation, including our work with Serbia on the big international issues that concern us all—energy security, climate change, the world economy, the fight against organised crime and terrorism,” he said, adding that 2009 would be a difficult year for everyone.

“The world is facing its biggest economic challenge for a long time. We will all be affected. But if we work together, we can get through it; and in twelve months' time, when we look back, we will see that we have built a much stronger foundation for Serbia’s success, and the success of the whole region,” Wordsworth concluded in his blog.