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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

No alternative to Serbia’s European future

Belgrade, 21 September 2005

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said that the cooperation with the tribunal in The Hague will be carried out in full, and that in no way will it influence either the beginning or the course of talks with the EU.

In an interview with the “Mreza” production group, Kostunica pointed out that the extradition of Ratko Mladic will not be a prerequisite for the commencement of talks on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU (SAA), but it will influence its signing and a lot of other things. The completion of the cooperation with the tribunal in The Hague is of crucial importance to Serbia, he added.

He said that the Serbian government has reached a high level of cooperation with the tribunal, adding that this cooperation will be continued until it is completed.

Kostunica also said he expects the talks with the EU to start in October. It is highly important for Serbia to start negotiations with the EU, and the Serbian government is entirely dedicated to this, he added.

The future of Serbia, that is, the future of Serbia-Montenegro in Europe has absolutely no alternative. There is no alternative for a country that by its history, geography, culture and economy is a European country, the Prime Minister stressed.

He added that, unlike some other essential issues of great importance for the state and its future, there is full political consensus concerning the issue of EU accession.

However, Kostunica said that though time is now invaluable, it is not always spent in the best way, with certain unnecessary spats further slowing down the pace. He pointed out that the message from Brussels is quite clear – Serbia and Montenegro will sooner join the EU together than as two separate states.

“It is more than evident and I believe that the more the talks continue, the more will the notion of a joint state prevail. Therefore, this integrative idea should be put above any other disintegrative turn of mind”, the Prime Minister explained.

Kostunica said that the affair concerning the purchase of army equipment bears no consequence to the state union’s future, nor could it influence the upcoming talks on EU accession.

These two things should be cleared up, Kostunica explained, saying that first is the contentious contract on the purchasing of army equipment and the second is a problem that concerns the policy of the state union, which, he said, have nothing in common with each other.