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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Netherlands offers full support to Serbia’s EU integration

Belgrade, 8 October 2007

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic and Dutch Minister of European Affairs Frans Timmermans stated today in a joint press conference that Serbia is ready to surmount all boundaries towards its full membership in the EU and that it will have full support and help of the Netherlands in doing so.

Jeremic pointed out that Serbia is very serious in realising and surmounting all boundaries that are currently on the way toward the country’s full membership status in the EU and recalled that there are clear criteria for that membership, noting that Serbia will meet them. He, however, pointed out to a political boundary in terms of cooperation with ICTY and stressed that full cooperation with this court is the Serbian government’s top short-term priority.

We do not see cooperation with the tribunal in the context of conditioning our European integration, but as critical issue of value, in the context of general reconciliation in this part of the world as only in that way conditions necessary for integration of the Western Balkans in the Union can be created, Jeremic said.

Timmermans noted that it is of great importance to help the Serbian people achieve their destiny with membership in the EU as governments are not the ones to decide on membership, it is the people.

We know that this is a difficult process based on clear criteria. Serbia is entitled to the same treatment like all other countries, the Dutch Minister of European Affairs said.

Timmermans and Jeremic agreed that a compromise solution confirmed in the UN Security Council is necessary to be reached for the future status of Kosovo-Metohija.

Jeremic reiterated that Belgrade is ready to participate in negotiations as long as they are taking place under the UN umbrella.

Serbia believes that a compromise solution to the future status of Kosovo is possible to reach only through direct talks of the two sides and we will be ready to take part in direct talks under the UN umbrella no matter of their format, the Serbian Foreign Minister stressed.

According to him, it is extremely important for Serbia that the negotiating process does not lose legitimacy and UN patronage.

Jeremic pointed out that the negotiating process should not be time-limited nor prolonged more than necessary as it is best if a solution is reached earlier for Belgrade and Pristina as well as for the whole Western Balkan region and for our common European future.