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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

France supports Serbia’s EU candidacy

Belgrade/Paris, 13 October 2007

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said today that Serbia may count on France’s political support regarding its EU candidacy.

File photo of Bozidar Djelic

Author: Tanjug

In a statement to the Tanjug news agency, following a meeting with French Minister of European Affairs Jean-Pierre Jouyet, Djelic said that the most important result of this visit was Jouyet’s statement that Serbia may count on France’s political support during its presidency over the EU if it demonstrates it is ready to fulfil the operational plan for gaining EU candidacy.

We expect that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement will be initialled by end-October and signed by the year’s end, said Djelic and recalled that this will happen if Hague Tribunal’s Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte drafts a positive report on Serbia’s cooperation with the Tribunal. The report should be issued in Luxembourg on October 15, he added.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that yesterday’s talk at the French foreign ministry was encouraging in this aspect.

It would be more than symbolical if France is the one who proposes to its European colleagues that Serbia should become an official candidate for EU membership, added Djelic.

Djelic and Jouyet also discussed negotiations on the future status of Kosovo-Metohija.

Serbia has to show even more that it will fight for Kosovo-Metohija by way of legal means and diplomacy. That way we will strengthen our position, said Djelic.

As part of his three-day visit to France, Djelic will also meet with representatives of the Paris Club of Creditors to discuss Kosovo-Metohija’s debt towards the club.

Djelic explained that at this meeting he will also talk about the possibility of exchanging the debt for investments into energy efficiency and environmental projects, which is now feasible because Serbia has ratified the Kyoto Agreement.

The third important issue to be looked at in France is Serbia’s entry on the “white Schengen list”, which Djelic will discuss with French Minister of Immigration, Integration and National Identity Brice Hortefeux.

They will also look at current problems related with illegal immigration and readmission.

On the first day of the visit, Djelic also met with representatives of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and talked about drafting the new economic study on Serbia, assessing the Serbian education system and joining the “PISA” programme which would enable the assessment of reforms in elementary and high school education.

During the stay in Paris, Djelic will also meet with many representatives of economic institutions with the aim of increasing the presence of French companies in Serbia, particularly in infrastructure development projects.