REPUBLIC OF SERBIA - MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS

 MIR HEYDARI: IRAN TO IMPROVE COOPERATION WITH SERBIA

KOSOVO – METOHIJA / EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION ON KOSOVO

JEREMIC: BELGRADE READY FOR TALKS ON IMPLEMENTING SIX POINT PLAN

BELGRADE, Feb 4 (Beta) - Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said that Belgrade was ready to talk with the United Nations about implementing the sixpoint plan on Kosovo, and rejected the possibility of direct negotiations with Pristina on this matter."The U.N. needs to set an exact start date for the discussion. Belgrade was ready last week. We are expecting Mr. Zannier, we are expecting his people to broach that matter. I hope this will happen as soon as possible," Jeremic told Fox TV. He said that, during his visit to New York last week, when the U.N. Security Council ruled to implement the sixpoint plan, "the security situation in Pristina was mentioned" as the reason why Zannier, UNMIK chief and special envoy of the U.N. secretary general, could not come to Belgrade this week."I hope that the right security conditions will emerge in Pristina, an area in which Belgrade has no control, so that the special envoy of the U.N. secretary general can get a chance to come to Belgrade and discuss what was adopted by the SC at the proposal of the secretary general," Jeremic said. He added that "Belgrade is ready today," and that he hoped that the talks could start this or next week.The minister stressed that Belgrade could not discuss the implementation of the sixpoint plan directly with Pristina because the agreement had been made with the U.N.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON KOSOVO

BRUSSELS/STRASBOURG, Feb 5 (Tanjug) - The EP adopted a resolution on Kosovo which reads that the provisional agreements between the UN and Serbian government have to be reviewed, in keeping with the developments in the field, once EULEX achieves full operational capacity. In its resolution, the EP also called on the EU member states which have not recognized independence of Kosovo to do so. The EP adopted the resolution, tabled by Dutch parliament member Jost Lagendajk, with 424 votes in favor and 133 against. The resolution welcomed successful deployment of EULEX across Kosovo, including the part north of the Ibar River, and once again rejected a possibility of partition. The EP called on the international community to fully back EULEX and to make the take over of UNMIK’s competencies in the areas of customs, police and justice, easier. The resolution also welcomes the Serbian government’s agreement to the deployment of EULEX and its readiness to cooperate with the mission, and encourages Serbia to continue demonstrating its constructive approach, which is in keeping with the state’s aspirations to join the EU. Before the vote, the EP adopted an amendment to the draft resolution in which the EU member states that have not recognized Kosovo’s independence are encouraged to do it.

VONDRA SAYS EU HAS THREE PRIORITIES IN KOSOVO

BRUSSELS/STRASBOURG, Feb 4 (Tanjug) - The indivisibility of territory, decentralisation and participation at regional integrations are three EU priorities regarding Kosovo, Czech Minister of European Affairs Alexander Vondra said on behalf of the Czech EU Presidency during a debate on a draft resolution on Kosovo proposed by Dutch MEP Joost Lagendijk. In his address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Vondra stressed the issue of Kosovo’s regional cooperation and participation in the main European processes and stressed his expectation that the European Union would some day bring Kosovo closer to the stabilisation and association process. He also stressed that numerous challenges were to be overcome by that date, because it would be difficult for the European Union to achieve unity on Kosovo. The Czech minister said that the division on the status of Kosovo within the European Union in no way diminished the key goals of long-term stability. Our main challenge in the next few months will be the full engagement of EULEX, Vondra said. He stressed the situation in northern Kosovo, voicing his expectation that it would be difficult in the next few months and that it would be an object of constant EU attention. On behalf of the European Commission, the MEPs were addressed by Commissioner for Consumer Affairs Meglena Kuneva, who quoted several EC programmes of assistance and stressed the special concern over the position of Roma in the lead-polluted camp in Kosovska Mitrovica. The debate on the draft passed in an atmosphere of usual conflict between the supporters and opponents of Kosovo’s independence. German MP Doris Pack called on the European Parliament to invite Pristina authorities to implement the Ahtisaari plan, while Hungarian Socialist Csaba Tabajdi said that the deployment of EULEX in the north was very important for avoiding the division of Kosovo. Lagendijk said that the European Union had to help Kosovo to become a sustainable state. On the other hand, Polish MEP Ryszard Czarnecki said that Pristina’s path to the European Union would be much longer unless Serb rights were observed. Tobias Pflueger, a German Leftist, rejected Lagendijk’s draft because it was based on Kosovo’s independence, which he said violated international law. All solutions must be in accordance with international law, Pflueger said. We are not satsified with EULEX, because its operation is based on the recognition of Kosovo, which violates international law. We oppose the EULEX mission, he said. Polish MEP Sylwester Chruszcz said that Kosovo’s independence had brought disastrous consequences in the Caucasus. He said that the EP should not adopt any decisions before the International Court of Justice decided on the province’s status, because Kosovo was Serbia until that date. French MEP Patrick Louis said that the 10th anniversary of the illegal NATO bombing of Serbia was approaching and that Serbia’s integrity had to be observed. Czech Socialist Libor Roucek said that Serbia had had a very constructive role in the issue of EULEX. Romanian MEP Adrian Severin said that Kosovo could not be independent before this was accepted by Serbia and UN Security Council and before Kosovo became self-sustainable. The Ahtisaari plan has failed, Severin said and called for an international conference on finding a sustainable solution. He and his compatriot Jean Marinescu, opposed the draft resolution saying that it did not observe the stands of all EU member-states. British Conservative Charles Tannock once again oposed the independence of Kosovo. According to the European parliament website, the resolution welcomes the fact that the Serbian government has agreed that EULEX be deployed on the whole of Kosovo territory and it encourages Serbia to continue to assume constructive positions in future as well, which is in line with the country’s aspirations to join the EU. The resolution also welcomes the progress that has been made in Kosovo in respect to security, but at the same time points to the need that multiethnic police units be engaged in all parts of Kosovo. The vote on the resolution will take place early on Thursday.

LAGENDIJK: CREATIVE DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION FOR SERBIA & KOSOVO

BELGRADE, Feb 5 (Tanjug) - European Parliament (EP) rapporteur for Kosovo, Dutch member of the European Green Party Joost Lagendijk, who has proposed an EP resolution on Kosovo, has said for daily Dnevnik that a creative diplomatic solution is needed for the relations between Serbia and Kosovo. It is not realistic to expect that Serbia will recognize Kosovo in due time, but neither Serbia, nor Kosovo, nor the EU, should waste any more time in the rapprochement of Belgrade and Pristina to the EU, Lagendijk said. This is why a creative diplomatic solution must be sought, one that will not be detrimental to any side and would benefit all, he pointed out. Lagendijk gave the example of the former two Germanies as a basis for such an agreement by these two sides. In spite of mutual non-recognition, the two German states did not prevent one another in their international activities, he said. There is also the example of Ireland, and the manner in which it regulated the question of Northern Ireland in its Constitution, the EP MP told the daily. Asked whether he believes it is realistic to expect an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina along the principle of a partition, in which Serbia would get northern Kosovo and Pristina recognition, Lagendijk said this was just a theoretical possibility. A great part of the international community are against the partition of Kosovo, Lagendijk said, because that could trigger a chain reaction in the region.

PACK DENIES RESOLUTION ADOPTION COINCIDES WITH ANNIVERSARY

PRISTINA, Feb 4 (Tanjug) - Germany’s MEP Doris Pack denied that a resolution on Kosovo was being adopted by the European Parliament (EP) to mark the first anniversary of the unilateral declaration of the independence of the province, saying that this document was prepared a month ago. The EP is debating Kosovo today and will adopt a resolution on Kosovo tomorrow, but the basis of the resolution will not be the anniversary of Kosovo’s independence, Pack told Pristina-based Kosovo Radio and Television. The resolution was prepared a month ago on the basis of the development of the processes in Kosovo and refers to the operation of EUlex, the overall situation in Kosovo, relations between Belgrade and Pristina, etc. All these issues are mentioned in this resolution, she added.

MUNTER DOES NOT PUT PRESSURE ON BELGRADE TO START DIALOGUE

BELGRADE, Feb 4 (Tanjug) - US Ambassador to Serbia Cameron Munter reiterated that the US stand was that Kosovo was independent and that this status could not be altered. Munter told the B92 television that he did not accept claims that he was putting pressure on authorities in Belgrade to open a dialogue with Pristina, however, he said that the establishment of good relations was necessary. He said that this had to be done carefully, focusing on the people who lived in Kosovo. For example, it would be very useful if Serbia, which urges cooperation with EULEX, discussed all details of life in Kosovo with the Mission and saw how constructive it can be there, Munter said and added that for him, these were the talks to be held at this moment.

SEJDIU APPOINTS INTELLIGENCE CHIEF

PRISTINA, Feb 4 (Beta) - Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu appointed Bashkim Smakaj to head the Kosovo Intelligence Service. Smakaj was born in the village of Kpuz in Klina municipality, in 1976. His previous office was head of strategic planning with the Kosovo border police. He boasts degrees in political science and biology, and is fluent in English, German, Italian and SerboCroat.The head of the Kosovo Intelligence Service serves for five years and can be reappointed. Sejdiu appointed Smakaj based on his constitutional authority and on a proposal from Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. After the Kosovo president and prime minister presented him to the public at a news conference, Smakaj said that "the Kosovo Intelligence Service will serve all Kosovo citizens and will be open to all communities."

SERBIA – ECONOMY

CVETKOVIC: EUR 473 M FOR ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE

BELGRADE, Feb 5 (Tanjug) - Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic has said that at its Thursday session, the Serbian government should adopt a 473 million euro worth programme of measures that will encourage investments into the development of road infrastructure and the finalization of Corridor 10. "The funds will be obtained from international loans and domestic sources. The northern part of Corridor 10 is divided into four sections, and the plan is that in 2009, the government finances two 10-kilometre stretches, as well as the southern 20-kilometre stretches between Levosoje to Presevo," the prime minister underlined in an interview for the Belgrade daily Danas. Cvetkovic said that by the end of the year, we would have 40 kilometres of newly built highways, and added that several more stretched would also be built in 2009, such as the Batajnica-Dobanovci ring road around Belgrade.

DACIC: TRADE WITH RUSSIA SHOULD BE DOUBLED

BACKA PALANKA, Feb 5 (Tanjug) - The trade between Serbia and Russia, which amounted to over USD 4 billion, might be doubled in the coming years, which should be a goal shared by both countries, Deputy Prime Minister and Co-Chairman of the Mixed Serbian-Russian Committee for Economic Cooperation Ivica Dacic said. "The energy agreement with Russia and the valuable effects that are expected from the realization of all three parts of the agreement: privatization of NIS, construction of the South Stream gas pipeline and reconstruction of the Banatski Dvor underground gas storage, as well as an expansion of the list of products included in the free trade regime, which will be sealed with a protocol to be signed in Moscow in March, are a big step towards that," underscored Dacic during his meeting with a Russian delegation, headed by Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Konuzin. During visit to Backa Palanka, Dacic said that the Backa Palanka-based company Sintelon , which is incorporated in the Tarkett multinational company, is Serbia’s biggest investor in Russia, and it will soon launch a new Serbian-Russian project worth EUR 300 million Russia’s town of Otradny.

JELASIC: NO ALTERNATIVE MODELS FOR DEFENDING EXCHANGE RATE

BELGRADE, Feb. 5 (Tanjug) - National Bank of Serbia Governor Radovan Jelasic told that the central bank is not considering any alternative models for defending the exchange rate, except that of guided fluctuating foreign currency exchange, and announced that the resources from the arrangement with the International Monetary Fund will not be used for defending the dinar exchange rate as yet. Jelasic said that there are two reasons why the NBS is not thinking about other exchange rate regimes - first of all because the existent manner was determined by the Agreement between the Serbian government and the NBS on targeting the inflation, adopted on December 19, 2008. It is clearly stated in the Agreement that in accordance with the set frame of monetary policy, the government and the National Bank concur that NBS implements a regime of fluctuating foreign exchange rate, while no numerical goals in respect of foreign currency exchange will be determined, Jelasic reminded. "The other reason is that NBS is convinced, based on the experience of other countries in the region, that the flexible exchange rate is the key precondition for attaining a long-term sustainable growth of Serbia," he concluded.

MUNTER: NO LAYOFFS IN U.S.STEEL

BELGRADE, Feb. 5 (Tanjug) - There will be no layoffs in the company U.S.Steel Serbia in Smederevo, stated US Ambassador to Serbia Cameron Munter. He told the local television B92 that the consequences of the global economic crisis have reflected on the business of the Smederevo U.S.Steel, which is in property of an American company from Pittsburgh. According to him, American businessmen are generally satisfied with the experience from Serbia, however, considering the proportions of the global crisis, it is not possible to talk about whether there will be any new investments from that country and when. The American Ambassador stressed that the decreased demand for steel, as one of the consequences of the global crisis, has affected the business of the biggest exporter in Serbia - the Smederevo ironworks, but added that he was informed that the management is not planning on discharging workers as yet.

SERBIAN – BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO OPEN ON FEB. 5

BELGRADE, Feb 4 (Beta) - The newly formed Serbian-British chamber of Commerce will be unveiled at the British Embassy in Belgrade on Feb. 5. An Embassy statement said that the goal of the organization is to serve as a forum for companies and business people seeking to increase trade and investment, as well as discussion of the development of the real estate market, tourism, transportation and cooperation between Britain and Serbia in other branches of the economy. According to the statement, the new chamber will also strive to attract British investors who have not yet invested in Serbia, and act as a bridge between financial institutions in the two countries’ capitals, London and Belgrade. It was announced that the Serbian deputy prime minister Mladjan Dinkic, will attend the ceremony.

ITALIAN COOPERATION TO OPEN PRESS SECTION

BELGRADE, Feb 4 (Tanjug) - The office of the Italian Cooperation in Belgrade will open a press section with the aim of improving the visibility of its activities and realized results in projects in the Western Balkans, the Italian embassy in Belgrade has announced. The Italian Cooperation is a department set up by the Italian Foreign Ministry to manage and monitor projects in the sphere of international cooperation and to help strengthen institutions, national and local non-government organizations through topical seminars. The Italian Cooperation promotes the development of small and meduim-sized companies via credit lines, the statement said. The office will have its own web site, will post an electronic publication on a three-month basis and will organize events and information campaigns.

SERBIA – EU

EUROPEAN COMMISSION: BETTER EU PROSPECTS FOR WESTERN BALKANS

BRUSSELS, Feb 4 (Beta) -The European Commission announced in Brussels that upcoming progress in lifting visa requirements and expanding education and research opportunities will serve as a new political and economic development boost for the Western Balkan countries and their association with the EU. In a review of regional activities for this and last year, the commission pointed out nearly 100 "palpable" EUbacked activities and initiatives in many areas that are either underway or are in preparation. The commission also highlighted that it has proposed, as a form of EU solidarity with the region, that its Economic Recovery Plan be expanded to include the Western Balkans. For that purpose, at least EUR120 million will be set aside for Western Balkan countries from the EU fund for economic and social support to EU countries affected by the current economic crisis. "I welcome the progress made by the Western Balkan countries last year," EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said, stressing he was "proud that the EU contributed to that success in such a tangible way." "I know how important greater freedom of travel and opportunities for education abroad are to people’s everyday lives," Rehn emphasized. He also said, "I expect further progress, since 2009 will be an important year for the Western Balkans’ accession to the EU."

POJAR: EU INTEGRATION IS LONG & COMPLICATED PROCESS

BELGRADE, Feb 4 (Tanjug) - Serbia’s EU integration is not frozen, but it is a long and complicated process, Czech First Deputy Foreign Minister Tomas Pojar said in Belgrade and added that he hoped that all of Europe would realise and accept Serbia’s progress towards the European Union. "I hope that during its six-month EU presidency, the Czech Republic will give its contribution to encouraging Serbia’s EU integration," Pojar said. Czech Ambassador in Belgrade Hana Hubackova said that one should work on overcoming a conflict betwen Serbia and NATO, which she said dated back to the bombing of FR Yugoslavia in 1999. A debate on the Czech EU Presidency and Security Cooperation, held at the Czech Embassy in Belgrade was attended by head of the Defence Policy and Strategy Section Ivan Dvorak and Jagelo 2000 Organisation President Zbinek Pavlacik. The participants recalled that the Czech government, which currently presides the European Union, had quoted the EU enlargement and Euro-Atlantic integration of South-Eastern European countries, including Serbia, as one of its main priorities. In addition, the Czech Embassy has recently been granted the status of NATO contact embassy in Serbia, where it will represent NATO’s interests in the next two years.

INFORMATION CENTER ON EUROPEAN UNION OPENED

BELGRADE, Feb 5 (Tanjug) - The General Information Center on European Union, founded to improve the knowledge of Serbian citizens on the EU, began operating on Thursday at the University Library Svetozar Markovic in Belgrade. The agreement on Centre’s establishment was signed by Head of Delegation of the European Mission in Belgrade Josep Lloveras and the library director, Stela Filipi-Matutinovic, with Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European integrations Bozidar Djelic attending the ceremony. All Serbian citizens will have the right to free use of the Centre’s services, which will enable them to search EU data bases and have access to official publications of the Union.

SERBIA

DEJANOVIC: CHANGING RULES OF PROCEDURE NEXT WEEK

BELGRADE, Feb 5 (Tanjug) - Speaker Slavica Djukic Dejanovic of the Serbian parliament said that the emergency session at which changes in the Rules of Procedure are to be considered will begin next week, most probably on Tuesday. "Work on the changes to the Rules of Procedure is almost completed and, during the day, I will probably call a session for next week, when the definite text of the proposed changes will be completed," Djukic Dejanovic said. The changes in the text are still being coordinated, she said, pointing out that she expects to receive this document during the day. Djukic explained that these changes will pertain to the time MPs can spend on elaborating on their stands and to a concise presentation of certain topics that are on the agenda. "Furthermore, we will introduce the time envisaged for MP queries within each session, so that deputies are not denied the right to be informed and to say what they should say. That will be something that is present in all parliaments, because the management of the sessions so far was simply trying to make do in impossible conditions," Djukic Dejanovic said.

SERBIAN AND DANISH PARLIAMENTS AGREE COOPERATION

BELGRADE, Feb 4 (Tanjug) - Serbian parliament Speaker Djukic - Dejanovic said that during her visit to Denmark cooperation between the two parliaments was agreed, focusing on the planned intensification of their respective european integration and foreign affairs committees. "The visit was a top level one. The Serbian delegation was received by Queen Margrethe II and by the parliament speaker and we agreed cooperation between our two parliaments," Dejanovic told at the end of visit to Denmark. She stated that "much can be learned about parliamentary diplomacy" in communication with Denmark and its parliament.

DACIC EXPECTS DUAL CITIZENSHIP TALKS WILL BE CONTINUED

BELGRADE, Feb 5 (Tanjug) - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Ivica Dacic, expressed belief that the dual citizenship talks between Serbia and Montenegro would be continued and that such an agreement would be reached which would be in the interest of the people of both countries. "The interest of the people in both countries is that agreement on dual citizenship be signed, which is exactly what we proposed since we already have such an agreement with Bosnia-Herzegovina," Dacic told Tanjug. Minister Dacic reiterated that Serbia could not change its Law on Citizenship just because of Montegero. "The Serbian law is liberal and it allows dual citizenship for the citizens of all countries in the world, which is in keeping with the recommendations of the Council of Europe," Dacic said. He pointed to the fact that Montenegro had protected itself by signing an agreement on the exchange of lists of the people that had already been granted citizenship. Reminding of his Saturday talks with Montenegrin Interior Minister Jusuf Kalamperovic, Dacic voiced belief that the positions of the two countries would eventually be harmonized.

MIR HEYDARI: IRAN TO IMPROVE COOPERATION WITH SERBIA

BELGRADE, Feb 5 (Tanjug) - Iranian Ambassador in Belgrade Seyed Morteza Mir Heydari has assessed, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in that country, that the political and economic relations between Serbia and Iran are very good and announced that the priority of his embassy in 2009 will be the boosting of cooperation between the two countries. Mir Heydari, whose country has not recognized Kosovo, said that Tehran was closely following the events regarding the unilaterally proclaimed independence (of Kosovo), especially because of the very sensitive nature of that issue, and that it insisted, considering the experience the region had had in the last two decades, on the respect of stability and security of that part of the world. The ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran announced that a Serbian businessmen delegation, headed by the president of the Chamber of Commerce, would soon visit Tehran, and added that at the same time, a high ranking delegation of the Serbian Ministry of Economy and Regional Development would also visit Iran, after which a session of the Mixed Committee on Economic Cooperation should be held in Belgrade.

For further information:

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Serbia