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Candidate status for Serbia in 2008
Paris,
15 October 2007
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic voiced hope that Serbia will officially get candidate status for full membership in the EU in the second half of 2008, during the French presidency over the EU.
In an interview for the Paris daily Liberacion, Djelic stressed that Belgrade is doing everything possible to remove obstacles in cooperation with the Hague tribunal, and no one should doubt Serbia’s willingness to apprehend and hand over all Hague indictees who are at large.
Speaking on negotiations held until now on the issue of the future status of Kosovo-Metohija, Djelic said that December 10 should not be presented as a final deadline for signing any agreement since that could strengthen the position of extremists.
He said that the impression is that France and the EU are changing their stand because they have begun to understand how important it is to reach a solution for this issue through negotiations.
According to Djelic, anything done outside the Security Council, such as a unilateral declaration of independence for Kosovo-Metohija with the aim of avoiding a veto by Russia, would be illegal; furthermore such a precedent would do great harm to the entire region, and to other countries, such as former republics of the Soviet Union or western countries.
A Serbia which says “don’t violate our territorial integrity” is a Serbia which recognises the territorial integrity of its neighbours. We should find the path towards Brussels together. Linking the issue of Kosovo-Metohija directly to the future of Serbia in the EU would be counterproductive, said Djelic.
He reiterated that Belgrade is ready to offer the widest possible autonomy to Kosovo-Metohija, with it is own fiscal policy and representation in international economy. He added that Kosovo-Metohija would be able to become member of financial organizations such as the International Monetary Fund or the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
We draw the line only when it comes to the territorial integrity of Serbia, while being flexible regarding all other issues, said Djelic.
Speaking on negotiations held until now on the issue of the future status of Kosovo-Metohija, Djelic said that December 10 should not be presented as a final deadline for signing any agreement since that could strengthen the position of extremists.
He said that the impression is that France and the EU are changing their stand because they have begun to understand how important it is to reach a solution for this issue through negotiations.
According to Djelic, anything done outside the Security Council, such as a unilateral declaration of independence for Kosovo-Metohija with the aim of avoiding a veto by Russia, would be illegal; furthermore such a precedent would do great harm to the entire region, and to other countries, such as former republics of the Soviet Union or western countries.
A Serbia which says “don’t violate our territorial integrity” is a Serbia which recognises the territorial integrity of its neighbours. We should find the path towards Brussels together. Linking the issue of Kosovo-Metohija directly to the future of Serbia in the EU would be counterproductive, said Djelic.
He reiterated that Belgrade is ready to offer the widest possible autonomy to Kosovo-Metohija, with it is own fiscal policy and representation in international economy. He added that Kosovo-Metohija would be able to become member of financial organizations such as the International Monetary Fund or the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
We draw the line only when it comes to the territorial integrity of Serbia, while being flexible regarding all other issues, said Djelic.
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