Serbia, Austria Discuss Kosovo and EU

Serbia's Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic told the Austrian foreign minister that Serbia expected to get the status of a candidate for EU membership and the beginning of the process towards getting the start date for the accession talks in December.

He informed Spindelegger about the situation in Kosovo, adding that the tension could only be eased through negotiations, the prime minister's office stated.

Spindelegger pointed out that Serbia had come a long way in the past few years when it comes to reforms and EU integration, adding that Austria would continue to support that integration.

The two officials agreed there was great potential for better cooperation between the two countries, especially in infrastructure, energy, environment, industrial modernization and agriculture, according to the statement from the prime minister’s office.

Spindelegger expressed belief that Serbia would be granted EU candidate status in December but he reiterated that the progress on the country's EU path remained closely connected to the Kosovo issue.

When asked about the possibility of staging a new forum aimed at finding a solution to the issue of border crossings, Spindelegger expressed belief that the points on which Belgrade and Pristina had reached an agreement should be carried out.

Reiterating that Kosovo was a reality which had to be accepted as such, the Austrian foreign minister said that competent bodies needed to find a way to solve problems.

“We should focus on solving the existing problems, instead of creating new ones,” he stressed and added that an important step needed to be made in order to improve the situation in the field.

“If finding a solution to the problem calls for a new forum, we are willing to organize it,” he said.

When asked whether it would be possible to maintain “both the EU and Kosovo” stand, the Serbian deputy PM said that Serbia was aware that the Kosovo issue needed to be solved before the country joined the EU and that Serbia remained committed to the dialogue and would continue striving toward a historical compromise between Serbs and Albanians.

After the meeting with Spindelegger, Jeremic said that the two of them had agreed that it was necessary to do everything in order to maintain peace and stability in Kosovo.

“Serbia will continue to do everything in its power to maintain peace and stability in Kosovo and to overcome the current crisis in a way that will make it possible for us to return to the dialogue,” the Serbian minister explained.

He repeated that the dialogue was the only way to reach a solution and that Serbia had been committed to the process since the beginning.

“But just like for tango, it takes two to have a dialogue and unfortunately we still have not come to the situation to continue it,” Jeremic said and expressed hope that it would be possible in near future.

He stressed that the best way to achieve that was if “everybody starts respecting their obligations, especially the ones from Resolution 1244”.