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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Brussels makes historic offer on political agreement with Serbia

Belgrade, 30 January 2008

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic stated last night that Brussels’ offer to Serbia in the form of a political agreement with the EU on free trade and visa liberalisation is a historic one, bearing in mind that all 27 member countries reached consensus on the issue.

File photo of Vuk Jeremic

Author: Tanjug

Jeremic told Radio Television Serbia that this is a direct offer and that Serbia must decide whether it wants to become an EU member, because no one can join the EU against their will.

Serbia will have the opportunity to speak its mind on the matter on February 3 in the presidential run-off, said Jeremic and added that if this should come about, Serbia will become a candidate for full EU membership.

According to him, if Serbia accepts the EU’s direct offer, the document, i.e., the political agreement which will open this road for Serbia, will be signed by February 7.

Speaking about the stance of Holland, which demanded full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal as a condition for signing the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), Jeremic explained that the SAA is a technical step toward Serbia’s inclusion in the EU.

Serbia must make a democratic decision on February 3 on whether it wants to be an EU member. If such a decision is made, on February 7 we will sign this political agreement which the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs has already signed in my presence, said Jeremic.

According to him, sending an EU mission to Kosovo-Metohija was not on the agenda of the meeting of EU ministers in Brussels because there is no consensus on the issue among EU members.

Jeremic stressed that sending an EU mission without a UN Security Council resolution would be very problematic and a number of EU member states are perfectly aware of that.

He also emphasised that on behalf of the Serbian government, he informed the EU ministers that the EU is welcome in Serbia, as well as on the territory of the southern Serbian province provided there is a clear legal framework for that. He also added that the only such framework can be a new UN Security Council resolution which is not even in the making.

Serbia will do all that is in its diplomatic power to ensure that an EU mission is not sent unless a new UN Security Council resolution is made, concluded Jeremic.