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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Serbia won’t trade its territory for EU admission

Belgrade, 14 December 2007

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic stressed today that any kind of trade in Serbia’s territory for its EU admission is not possible and pointed out that for the Serbian government the future status of Kosovo-Metohija and Serbia’s future in the EU are separate issues and cannot compensate each other.

Author: Fonet

At a joint press conference held after the meeting with EU High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina Miroslav Lajcak, Jeremic said that such an offer is so senseless that no one has proposed it, though those insinuations are present in the media.

Regarding a statement by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown that recognition of Kosovo-Metohija’s independence is a prerequisite for Serbia’s EU admission, the Minister said that that is not the EU’s stand, but Britain’s individual position. According to him, the majority of European leaders don’t have the same stand, and Serbia will declare itself only at the end, when the entire EU takes a stand on this.

Lajcak said there is no direct connection between the Kosovo-Metohija future status and the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, but that Kosovo-Metohija is a part of the region and everything that happens in the region is of great importance for other countries.

Jeremic and Lajcak agreed on the necessary protection of Bosnia-Herzegovina constitutional system based on the Dayton Peace Agreement.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs pointed out that Serbia, as a guarantor of the Dayton Peace Agreement, is interested in the preservation of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s constitutional system and that it has no intention of interfering in internal matters of its neighbour. Serbia has no intention of getting more involved in internal affairs of Bosnia-Herzegovina, except for its principled position that all decisions must be brought by consensus of the three nations, said Jeremic. He added that Serbia, in that sense, continues to be the guarantor of the Dayton Agreement, and all else are internal matters of that country.

Lajcak said that Bosnia-Herzegovina is an internationally recognised country with two entities and three constitutional nations and there are no dilemmas about that fact. He added that no one has the right to question the existence of either Republika Srpska or Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Republika Srpska Prime Minister Milorad Dodik guarantees stability in Republika Srpska and that is a very clear and important message, said the High Representative and added that this is why he is optimistic concerning Bosnia-Herzegovina’s internal situation.