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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Brussels supports Serbia-Montenegro’s EU integration process

Belgrade/Brussels, 16 June 2005

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said today after meeting with EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana that Brussels fully supports Belgrade, and that EU leaders assured him that the state union's constitutional crisis will not influence the process of association of Serbia-Montenegro and other Western Balkan countries.

Vojislav Kostunica and Javier Solana

Author: Tanjug

Kostunica said that the commitment to the principles of the Thessaloniki process of European partnership was reaffirmed, which is very important news for Serbia. He added that he briefed Solana on Serbia's progress on its path towards the EU and further steps it will take after having obtained the positive assessment of the feasibility study.

The Serbian Prime Minister told Solana that working groups for EU accession have been formed both in Serbia and Serbia-Montenegro, and that tomorrow the Serbian government should adopt the national strategy for Serbia-Montenegro's accession to the EU to 2012.

“We confirmed our expectation that the negotiations on the stabilisation and association agreement will begin in October, because October 5 is a very important date for Serbia”, Kostunica said and added that Solana voiced readiness to visit Belgrade before the commencement of the negotiations. He said that the visit could take place already in July.

Kostunica said that the visit of the EU High Representative to Belgrade would reflect support to all of Serbia-Montenegro's activities. He reiterated that it is very important that the state union enter the EU in the same composition in which it obtained the positive assessment of the feasibility study, that is, as one state.

The Prime Minister said that the spirit of integration, rather than disintegration, prevails in Europe, and that that is very well understood in Brussels.

The Prime Minister told reporters that he gave Solana, as well as EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn earlier today, a document of the Serbian Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government containing data on Montenegrin nationals living in Serbia. He specified that there are slightly more than 263,000 persons, which is an important piece of data pertaining to the planned referendum in Montenegro.

Kostunica said that he also talked with Solana about Kosovo-Metohija, the cooperation with the Hague tribunal, and the Serbian public’s disapproval of war crimes, which has been expressed more resolutely and consistently than in any other country.

Once again Serbia has confirmed its determination to continue and conclude its cooperation with the tribunal when it comes to the indictees still at large, Kostunica said.

Spokeswoman of the EU High Representative for Common Foreign Policy and Security Kristina Galjak told the press that at the meeting with Kostunica, Solana emphasised the EU commitment to the process of association of the Western Balkans and the fulfilment of the Thessaloniki summit, which provided a clear European perspective for the entire region. He also recalled the importance of full cooperation of Serbia-Montenegro with the tribunal in The Hague.

Solana also pointed out that the assessment of the implementation of standards in Kosovo, which is to be done by the UN Secretary-General Special Envoy Kai Eide, will not be the final one. The final statement on the matter will be given by the EU Security Council at the proposal of the Secretary-General. Solana also stressed that it is important that the Kosovo Serbs take part in the provisional self-government in Kosovo-Metohija.