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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Solution for Kosovo-Metohija should be sought within existing borders

Belgrade/Sofia, 19 December 2005

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev agreed during today's meeting in Sofia that the solution for Kosovo-Metohija must be sought through a compromise and not imposed, and that the stability of the entire Western Balkans, not only Serbia-Montenegro, must be taken into account.

Vojislav Kostunica and Sergei Stanishev

Author: Tanjug

At a press conference following a meeting with Stanishev, Kostunica said that Bulgaria stands as a significant partner of Serbia in the region and pointed out that a solution to the future status of Kosovo-Metohija must preserve stability in the Balkans.

He reiterated that fulfilment of standards must not be disregarded, and recalled that Serbia has entered the talks on future status of the province with the unresolved issue of standards.

Kostunica pointed to the lack of security in and conditions for return to the south Serbian province, as well as unresolved property issues, and stressed that in determining the future status of Kosovo-Metohija all those issues must be taken into consideration.

The Prime Minister pointed out that it is necessary to apply the European concept in this process and that there can be no experimenting with borders but that a solution must be found within the existing borders, with a high level of autonomy and respect for rights of all national communities.

Kostunica stressed that this is the way in which Europe solves issues and reiterated that the European future binds Serbia to finding a solution through compromise, which excludes all possibilities of an imposed solution. He added that the Kosovo issue must be resolved in the light of integration, not disintegration.

Vojislav Kostunica and Georgi Pirinski meet

Author: Tanjug

Kostunica also said that the Bulgarian prime minister agreed with him on the necessity of improving economic relations, so that they can match the excellent political relations between Serbia and Bulgaria.

The Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction with good and constructive talks conducted between the two delegations and said both sides agreed that relations between Serbia and Bulgaria are beneficial, founded on mutual respect and understanding, but that they also have a new trait, and that is the European future of the Western Balkans. Kostunica also expressed satisfaction with the fact that Bulgaria will become a member of the European Union in 2007 and that Serbia-Montenegro has started talks with the EU.

He said that those two important pieces of news point to the fact that a new map of the Balkans is being created and that Serbia and Bulgaria have provided a significant contribution to incorporating that European perspective in bilateral relations.

Bearing in mind the beneficial level of political cooperation, Kostunica and Stanishev agreed that it is now necessary to improve bilateral economic relations. Kostunica added that it implies the increase in investment on both sides and closer association between Bulgarian and Serbian economic communities.

Talks with Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov

Author: Tanjug

As a way of improving the economic relations between the two countries, Kostunica mentioned the improvement of infrastructure – highway and railway systems and air transport.

He pointed out the need to create more border crossings and added that the two countries can make a step forward in that area through the signing of mutual agreements on new border crossings, which would not only serve Serbia and Bulgaria, but all of Europe and the Balkans as well.

The Prime Minister also said that he spoke with Stanishev on the position of national minorities and pointed out that Serbia puts great care into improving that position, because national minorities represent a bridge between these two nations.

According to Kostunica, another issues discussed was bilateral cultural cooperation and the necessity for further improvement in this area, where both Serbia and Bulgaria now have a common aim and that is to join Europe by preserving their identities and not suppressing them.

Stanishev stressed that the authorities in Sofia oppose the creation of new borders in the Western Balkans and added that a solution to the future status of Kosovo-Metohija should add to a higher level of stability in the region.

Delegation of the Serbian government visits Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia

Author: Tanjug

He said that the solution to the Kosovo issue should be founded on clearly defined international standards and pointed to the necessity of realising standards in the province, before all those concerning the return of internally displaced persons, protection of Serbian cultural-historical and religious monuments and decentralisation of authority.

Stanishev expressed hope that Serbia-Montenegro will successfully close the talks on stabilisation and association with the EU in less than a year and reiterated that Bulgaria is ready to offer political help to Belgrade on its way towards EU integration.

By the end of the day the Serbian Prime Minister will meet with Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov and Speaker of the Bulgarian parliament Georgi Pirinski.