REPUBLIC OF SERBIA - MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SERBIA – EU / SCHENGEN

JEREMIC & REHN: VISA LIBERALISATION BY END OF YEAR

BRUSSELS, June 11 (Tanjug) - Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic and European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn expressed hope that 2009 would be the year of visa abolishment for the people Serbia. I hope the European Commission will give a recommendation for the abolishment of visas before the summer break, Rehn said. According to him, Serbia has been a constructive, active and reliable partner in the fulfillment of the obligations stemming from the Road Map leading to visa liberalization. He said that certain technical issues, such as the issuing of passports, would be the topic of the Friday meeting between the representatives of the European Commission and Serbian officials. Jeremic reiterated Serbia’s readiness to continue pursuing its European course. EU membership is our strategic goal and we will continue to make effort in that respect regardless of the difficulties we are faced with, he said. This process is valid, our institutions are working hard to meet the required criteria, the Serbian foreign minister added. One of the issues which was raised last time was the efficiency of our parliament, and now this body has become one of the most efficient institutions in our country, Jeremic underlined, adding that all the institutions in Serbia took very seriously the priority of EU integration.

DACIC: GERMANY SUPPORTS VISA ABOLISHMENT FOR SERBIA

BERLIN, June 10 (Tanjug) - The German government supports visa regime abolishment for Serbian citizens and Serbia’s European path, Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic stated after a meeting with his German counterpart, Wolfgang Schäuble, in Berlin. Dacic told that Schäuble expressed hope on behalf of his ministry and the German government that visas for Serbian citizens will be abolished, provided that Serbia meets all conditions which are envisaged by the "road map". Dacic reiterated that according to the European Commission assessment, Serbia has done almost everything prescribed by the "road map" aimed at visa regime liberalization. Dacic said that they discussed numerous bilateral issues and arranged drafting of an agreement on police cooperation and readmission protocols, adding that he is looking forward to welcoming Schäuble in Belgrade. During his visit to Germany, Dacic also met with Peter Altmaier, the German Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior.

HOLLAND WILLING TO REEXAMINE ITS STAND ON SERBIA

THE HAGUE/BELGRADE, June 11 (Tanjug) - The Dutch Foreign Ministry has made public on its website the official document that has been drafted for the June 19 meeting of the EU heads of state and government. The Netherlands is ready to consider further possibilities for the improvement of cooperation between the EU and Serbia, it is specified in the document. In the document, which represents a part of the preparations for the forthcoming meeting of the EU heads of state and government in Brussels, the Dutch government notes that it is aware of the fact that a vast majority of the Union’s member states hold that they should be cooperative in respect to Serbia, and that after the assessment by Brammertz on additional progress the country has made in cooperating with The Tribunal, the Netherlands has even more reason to act in keeping with the position of the majority.

SERBIA

TADIC: SERBIA OFFERS BEST INVESTMENT CONDITIONS IN BALKANS

BELGRADE, June 10 (Tanjug) - Serbian President Boris Tadic stated at the meeting with representatives of French companies that Serbia offers the best investment conditions in the Balkans and expressed his hope that French enterprises will be even more active in the privatization and investment process in Serbia. "Serbia offers the best conditions in the Balkans in the sectors significant for French companies," Tadic underscored in the talks with French businessmen, members of the Movement of the French Enterprises (MEDEF). The French businessmen have announced that they will invest in Serbian economy, particularly in the area of infrastructure, telecommunications, construction and pharmaceutical industries, the President’s press service said. According to the statement, the meeting is the continuance of the work on strategic partnership between Serbia and France, agreed upon recently by the Serbian and French Presidents, Tadic and Sarcozy respectively, at their meeting in Paris.

PM CVETKOVIC INVITES FRENCH COMPANIES TO INVEST IN SERBIA

BELGRADE, June 10 (Tanjug)-Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic invited representatives of 40 French companies to invest in Serbia, above all in the area of infrastructure, telecommunications and transport improvement. At the meeting with representatives of French companies that are members of the Movement of the French Enterprises (MEDEF), Cvetkovic said that the achieved level of foreign trade between Serbia and France indicates that there is a need to improve cooperation in the area of investments as well. The prime minister said that Serbia has made an effort to become more competitive by introducing tax reliefs, simplifying procedures for starting companies and through other legal reforms.

DJELIC BELIEVES IN STRENGTHENING ECONOMIC TIES WITH FRANCE

BELGRADE, June 10 (Tanjug) - Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic expressed his confidence that France’s political support to Serbia and the future document on strategic partnership between Serbia and France will be a good foundation for solid strengthening of economic relations between the two countries. According to the agreement of Serbian and French Presidents respectively, the strategic partnership which should be signed by the end of the year will be an impetus for improving relations between the two countries, Djelic said at the meeting with directors and representatives of leading French companies held in the Palace of Serbia."We expect that the strategic partnership, which implies cooperation in areas of EU integration, economy, finance, security, education, culture and science, will raise the relations of the two countries to the historically highest level, that is the level that they were at between the First and Second World War," Djelic underscored. The Deputy Vice-President reiterated that France is among top ten Serbia’s trade partners, with USD 500 million invested by French companies in Serbia.

DJUKIC-DEJANOVIC: PARLIAMENT IS MORE EFFICIENT

BELGRADE, June 10 (Tanjug) - Serbian parliament speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic pointed out in her talks with Peter Sorensen, head of the EU Office in Belgrade and special envoy of EU High Representative Javier Solana, that the National Assembly was more efficient than it had been before, and that it had fulfilled all the obligations referring to visa liberalisation. Djukic-Dejanovic underlined that after the modification of the Standing Orders, the National Assembly had become more efficient in performing its legislative tasks, which had resulted in the passing of 180 laws and 80 other regulations, the Serbian parliament said in a statement. She added that the parliament had fulfilled all the obligations in respect to visa liberalisation, and announced a soon adoption of a law on National Assembly, which would grant financial independence to the parliament and make it possible for the body to perform a control function in full capacity.

SUTANOVAC: SOLUTION FOR KOSOVO TO BENEFIT REGIONAL SECURITY

SKOPJE, June 10 (Tanjug) - Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac stated in Skopje that Serbia and Macedonia do not share the opinion on Kosovo-Metohija but agree that the issue should be solved to benefit the security of population and the region. We hope to solve this in a peaceful manner, which is precisely what Serbia is trying to do, Sutanovac stated after the talks with his Macedonian counterpart Zoran Konjanovski. Sutanovac and Konjanovski evaluated that a stronger cooperation is necessary to remove all challenges to safety. The two ministers signed the agreement on cooperation in the area of defence, which also refers to challenging risks in the region. While speaking about the document, Sutanovac specified that there are non-military and asymmetric risks in the Balkans, and that "it is no secret that the Balkans are on the path to illegal trade in narcotics and people," as well as that this region is "a ground of religious extremism which threatens to grow into terrorism." Konjanovski pointed out that Sutanovac’s visit to Skopje is the evidence of good neighbouring relations, mutual respect and opening of the dialogue for strenghtening trust. Macedonia is giving full support to Serbia for membership in the initiative ’Southeast European Defence Ministerial’ (SEDM) and is sending a clear message from Skopje today that both countries not only protect their own interests, but rather the interests of the region. The ministers also discussed the military-economic and military healthcare cooperation as well as the cooperation between Serbian and Macedonian military industries.

AGREEMENT ON NUCLEAR WASTE VINCA-RUSSIA EXPORT REACHED

BELGRADE, June 10 (Tanjug) - Deputy Premier Bozidar Djelic and Sergei Kiriyenko, the head of Rosatom Nuclear Energy Russian State Corporation (Rosatom), signed an agreement on cooperation with the Russian Federation government in view of export of irradiated nuclear fuel from the research reactor at Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences. Djelic pointed out that the agreement will permanently remove Serbia from the list of potential target countries of nuclear terrorism, whereas Kiriyenko underscored that the agreement contributes to the promotion of security not only on the Serbian territory, but also globally. Kiriyenko reiterated that cooperation was established in 2002 when more than 40 kilograms of highly enriched uranium was exported from Serbia to Russia. Furthermore, the agreement envisages export of 3,000 kilograms of used nuclear waste that contains highly enriched uranium. The total cost of the export project equals USD 54 million, USD 25 million remains to be sponsored, while USD 10 million will be allocated from the Serbian budget, said Djelic, adding that the project will be executed by Nuclear Facilities company in Serbia. Djelic said that sponsors have to be found for the remaining USD 15 million and permanent disposal of the used nuclear fuel in Russia that amounts to USD 9.2 million, underscoring that these issues were discussed during their Wednesday meeting.Djelic expressed hope that the financial aspect of this important international agreement will be completed by autumn on the annual International Atomic Energy Agency convention in Vienna.

MILLER: ENTRY POINT OF SOUTH STREAM IN SERBIA BY END OF 2009

PORTO CERVO, SARDINIA, June 10 (Tanjug) - CE Director of Gazprom Neft Alexei Miller stated that the final decision on the entry point of the South Stream gas pipeline in Serbia will be known upon the completion of the feasibility study, which might happen by the end of the year. While addressing the journalists after one of the sessions of the European Business Congress held in Sardinia, Italy, Miller told that the final route, as well as the entry and exit point of the South Stream gas pipeline for every country that it should go through, should be known by next year. He underscored that the global economic crisis will not affect the construction of the pipeline, adding that this is one of Gazprom’s priorities. There is no doubt that the pipeline will be constructed, there will be no problems with financing the project which will be finished by the end of 2015, Miller said, pointing out that the prices of material and the construction costs are dropping which makes him feel optimistic about the project.

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Minister for Foreign Affairs of Serbia