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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Serbia has absolute political will to conclude cooperation with Hague

Belgrade/Luxembourg, 16 October 2006

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica met today in Luxembourg with the European Three to discuss relations between Belgrade and Brussels, Serbia's cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), talks on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) and negotiations on Kosovo-Metohija's future status.

Erkki Tuomioja, left, and Vojislav Kostunica

Author: Tanjug

At a press conference following the meeting with the EU Three – Finnish, German and Austrian foreign affairs ministers, Erkki Tuomioja, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Ursula Plassnik respectively – Kostunica stressed that there is absolute political will in Serbia to conclude cooperation with the ICTY.

He pointed out that implementation of the Serbian government’s Action Plan to conclude cooperation with the ICTY is not over but is ongoing.

What is certain is that there is political will to cooperate with The Hague. All of us who are in charge of it work day and night to meet that goal. EU membership and full cooperation with The Hague, which includes the cases of Ratko Mladic and other indictees, is in Serbia’s vital interest, the Prime Minister said.

Kostunica said that Serbia supports a sustainable solution to the future status of Kosovo-Metohija, but noted that the negotiations process is not near reaching such an outcome. He reiterated that Serbia’s position is well known – international law must be respected and the UN Security Council’s Resolution 1244 guarantees Serbia’s territorial integrity with essential autonomy for Kosovo.

A complex problem calls for a complex solution. We support a sustainable solution, but I think that we are still not close to it, the Prime Minister repeated.

Kostunica explained that no essential progress has been made in Kosovo status talks, especially in terms of technical issues and meeting standards. He also noted that no sufficient progress has been seen in the Vienna talks either, even in the so-called simple areas, such as decentralisation or protection of Serbian cultural and religious legacy.

He said that he briefed the Three about the adoption of Serbia’s new Constitution, noting that under its new Constitution, Serbia defines the position of Kosovo-Metohija in accordance with international principles and standards.

I do not believe that anyone will have to change that what is written on Kosovo in the Serbian Constitution, whatever happens in the course of negotiations, Kostunica stressed and added that something will change only on condition that the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act and principles of respect of international integrity and sovereignty of one country are changed.

He also rejected any connection between the adoption of the Serbian new Constitution with negotiations on Kosovo-Metohija’s future status and added that elections will be scheduled as soon as the Constitution is adopted.

The EU officials gave a positive assessment on the adoption of Serbia’s Constitution and stressed that it opens the door to new opportunities to Serbia’s European integration.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn announced that EU’s SAA negotiations with Serbia will resume the moment Serbia’s cooperation with The Hague is complete.

Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja expressed hope that the SAA negotiations will complete soon as soon as conditions for their continuation are fulfilled.

The main message sent out by EU representatives after today's meeting is that the EU wishes to intensify cooperation with Serbia as soon as possible.

Rehn noted that Serbia has both economic and human potentials to be part of European integration and pointed out that full cooperation with The Hague will not result just in continuation of SAA talks but also speedier EU accession.

Tuomioja and Rehn stressed that Serbia has a clear European perspective and announced a series of positive measures in the upcoming period. They confirmed that the mandate for talks on relaxations for the visa regime for Serbia will begin in weeks to come and also that the number of scholarship grants for Serbian students will be increased as of January 2007.