Serbian FM meets with EU foreign policy chief

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic met on Wednesday with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton. According to reports, they discussed Serbian presidency of the United Nations General Assembly and the situation in Serbia. Serbian FM meets with EU foreign policy chief The main topic was the future cooperation between the office of the president of the General Assembly and the European Union, which is an important partner of the United Nations, Jeremic told reporters after the meeting. Jeremic, who will assume the presidency of the UN General Assembly in September, said that today's meeting was the first in a series of consultations with the most important political actors before taking office. This will be an opportunity for Serbia to be represented in a very visible place, Jeremic said. Jeremic and Ashton also discussed the situation in Serbia. "I conveyed to Mrs. Ashton Serbia's concern over tensions in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as the expectation that EULEX and KFOR will exert every effort to preserve peace and stability in this delicate political moment in which the country is now," Jeremic said. Jeremic recalled that Serbia had bad experiences in Kosovo at the time of forming previous governments, which ethnic Albanian extremists used to cause unrest, such as on March 17, 2004. There was serious physical violence then, in which many lives were lost, and 35 churches and monasteries were burned, Jeremic noted. He and Ashton also exchanged views on raising the technical dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina to the political level. "We have always been open to political dialogue, but it was interrupted when Pristina proclaimed independence," said Jeremic, adding that he and Ashton also discussed the formation of the future Serbian government, but, as he said, "not much". "The government is not formed in Brussels but in Belgrade, so we just exchanged information," Jeremic said at the end of his visit to Brussels. Vuk Jeremic (FoNet, file) Tanjug

Serbian FM meets with EU foreign policy chief

The main topic was the future cooperation between the office of the president of the General Assembly and the European Union, which is an important partner of the United Nations, Jeremić told reporters after the meeting.

Jeremić, who will assume the presidency of the UN General Assembly in September, said that today's meeting was the first in a series of consultations with the most important political actors before taking office.

This will be an opportunity for Serbia to be represented in a very visible place, Jeremić said.

Jeremić and Ashton also discussed the situation in Serbia.

"I conveyed to Mrs. Ashton Serbia's concern over tensions in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as the expectation that EULEX and KFOR will exert every effort to preserve peace and stability in this delicate political moment in which the country is now," Jeremić said.

Jeremić recalled that Serbia had bad experiences in Kosovo at the time of forming previous governments, which ethnic Albanian extremists used to cause unrest, such as on March 17, 2004.

There was serious physical violence then, in which many lives were lost, and 35 churches and monasteries were burned, Jeremić noted.

He and Ashton also exchanged views on raising the technical dialogue between Belgrade and Priština to the political level.

"We have always been open to political dialogue, but it was interrupted when Priština proclaimed independence," said Jeremić, adding that he and Ashton also discussed the formation of the future Serbian government, but, as he said, "not much".

"The government is not formed in Brussels but in Belgrade, so we just exchanged information," Jeremić said at the end of his visit to Brussels.