Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said that Italian deal with Serbian car maker is a strong signal in trust towards Serbia.

"The signing of the Fiat - Serbian government agreement is an event of great importance. This is the crucial moment in a long road whose beginning goes back to the 1950s, when the cooperation between Fiat and Zastava started," Frattini said.

He also expects that EU countries refrain from voting at the UN on Serbia’s World Court initiative over Kosovo’s illegal declaration of independence.

At a joint press conference with his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic, Frattini said that Italy expected the EU member states would act as unanimous in respect to the Serbian proposal.

Jeremic noted that he is modestly optimistic on the UN initiative as the Egyptian Ambassador to Serbia Adel Ahmed Mohamed Naguib has stated that he is optimistic about the backing of Serbia’s initiative.

Serbian President Tadic commented that Serbia is closer to the adoption of a UN resolution.

"If observed in the short and long term, I am convinced that the resolution is not useful only for Serbia, but also for the U.N. which can recover its authority for respecting international law as well as establish a mechanism for resolving similar conflicts," Tadic said.

Frattini said that his country has always pointed to the role and significance of the World Court and said that it is not good to rpevent any country from addressing the Court.

Frattini also supports lifting of the SAA blockade on Serbia and urged an effort so that in 2009 Serbia gets the status of candidate for EU membership.

US Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Europe and Eurasian Affairs, Daniel Fried, said on Saturday that Serbia’s initiative against the independence of Kosovo would not have any effect.

He said that the independence of Kosovo is irrevocably and forever a closed issue.

"No matter what the conclusion of the Court is, if the issue goes to it, one thing is clear, for the Government of Kosovo and for the countries that have recognized it, this will not have implications that would force them to annul the recognition. This is about an advisory opinion without an obliging effect. Practical implications are limited," Feith said.

Serbianna