DAILY SURVEY - Nr. 51 / 396 - Belgrade - Prepared by: Z. Bucin

- SERBIA - USA

TADIC: NEW BASIS FOR RELATIONS BETWEEN SERBIA AND U.S.

BELGRADE, Oct 12 (Tanjug) - Serbian President Boris Tadic said Tuesday that U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton’s visit to Belgrade allows the two countries to build their relations on a new basis, after many years of misunderstandings and poor communication. Speaking at a joint news conference, Tadic said that he confirmed Serbia’s determination to build a strategic partnership with the U.S. during his meeting with Clinton, adding that Serbia also wishes to close the book on its dark past by arresting war crimes indictees Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic. According to Tadic, the U.S. is an unavoidable factor in both global and regional politics, and Serbia can be a reliable partner to the U.S. in southeastern Europe. The president thanked Clinton for visiting Serbia. The country faces the kind of challenges that require partnership and cooperation with the world’s greatest powers, Tadic noted, adding that the United States is definitely such a power. Serbia will continue defending its interests in a democratic fashion, and it is going to be a predictable partner to the EU and U.S. in that sense, Tadic remarked. That means that Serbia does not and will never recognize Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence, but that it is willing to negotiate until a lasting and mutually acceptable solution is reached, Tadic pointed out. The president said that Serbia respects all legitimate rights of ethnic Albanians, but also protects its own legitimate rights. Serbia has shown its commitment to dialogue by sponsoring a UN resolution on the International Court of Justice opinion on the legality of Kosovo’s declaration of independence together with the EU, Tadic noted, adding that dialogue is the only way to solve the historical conflict between Serbs and Kosovo Albanians. Serbia wishes to discuss all issues regarding everyday life in Kosovo, Tadic stated. He thanked the U.S. for its support for Serbia’s EU integration. "That support is essential to us, and we are going to continue working towards that fundamental goal," Tadic noted. The president also commented on Serbia’s cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) by saying that the country wanted to close the book on that dark part of its history by arresting the two remaining ICTY fugitives, Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic. Serbia is not doing that for the ICTY, but for its own sake, but it also insists that, in order to reach reconciliation in the region, those who committed war crimes against the Serbs have to be prosecuted as well, said Tadic. Even if the ICTY disappeared tomorrow, Serbia would continue searching for Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic, intent on bringing to justice all those indicted for war crimes, Tadic stressed. He also commented on the war crimes against the Serbs, saying that those who had committed them had to be put on trial in order to reach reconciliation. Tadic and Clinton discussed also the Belgrade Pride Parade, which was held on Sunday. The Serbian president stated that the protection of every individual’s human and citizen rights was of central importance for the government. "We protect the foundations of democracy only by protecting every person’s right to an identity, as well as every aspect of that identity," said Tadic, adding that attacks on the rights of individuals undermine the legal and democratic system. The relations between the U.S. and Serbia have been particularly good when it comes to defence and security, especially in fighting terrorism and organized crime, Tadic pointed out. Serbia wishes to build on that and create a strategic partnership in economy as well, said Tadic, adding that new American investments in the Serbian energy sector are expected in the near future.

CLINTON: SERBIA ON PATH TO BE EU MEMBER AND LEADER IN REGION

BELGRADE, Oct 12 (Tanjug) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in Belgrade Tuesday that she appreciates all that Serbia has done in the past 10 years and expressed conviction that Serbia is likely to become an EU member and a regional leader. "Serbia, of course, like any country, still faces challenges today, but it is very clear to me that Serbia is on a path toward greater partnership with the Euro-Atlantic community and stronger relations with its neighbors. United States is committed to working with Serbia as you advance toward these goals," Clinton said at a joint press conference with Serbian President Boris Tadic. Clinton said that she conferred with Tadic on several occasions and that she pointed out every time that the common interest of the U.S. and Serbia is peace in the region and speedy EU integration of the Western Balkans. She stressed that not only is Serbia likely to become an EU member, but that it could become an example for all in Europe as well. According to her, achieving these goals requires great effort, but nobody seems to be more aware of this than Serbia. Clinton recalled that Serbia will be considered a reliable partner as long as it does everything to stay on the EU path. Clinton added that the U.S. appreciates Serbia’s effort to find and arrest the remaining ICTY fugitives. "Serbia is making a good faith effort on behalf of arresting the fugitives, and that effort should be recognized by others," she underscored. Clinton reiterated that there are areas where Serbia and the U.S. do not agree, but pointed out that the relevant UN General Assembly Resolution represents a good foundation for launching a dialogue that could benefit people of both Kosovo and Serbia. "There are areas where we will not agree and foremost among them is Kosovo. But we believe that the September 9 United Nations General Assembly Resolution provides a good basis for a meaningful, forward-looking dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina," she said. "That dialogue can and will benefit people in Kosovo and Serbia by addressing practical day-to-day issues and a long-term relationship between you," the U.S. secretary of state said after her meeting with Tadic. Commenting on the Pride Parade held in Belgrade on Sunday, Clinton commended the law enforcement for the courage and adequate response, which, she said, showed that they protect the rights of all citizens. She pointed out that the basic condition for a steady pace toward the EU is good leadership, and congratulated President Tadic for the work he has done in this direction so far. Clinton said that she believes in Serbia’s potential and that she is convinced the country will not only become a full EU member, but also a leader and an example in Europe, adding that the U.S. is ready to help Serbia achieve these goals.

DJUKIC DEJANOVIC: U.S. STATE SECRETARY’S STATEMENT ENCOURAGI

BELGRADE, Oct 12 (Tanjug) - Serbian parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic Dejanovic expressed satisfaction with a Tuesday statement by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that Serbia can become not only an EU member but an example for all in Europe as well. "The statement by a state secretary from such a powerful country that Serbia is making good steps toward the European Union is encouraging," Djukic Dejanovic told Tanjug.

CVETKOVIC: FOSTERING SERBIA-US TIES FOR REGIONAL STABILITY

BELGRADE, Oct 12 (Tanjug) - Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic assured US State Secretary Hillary Clinton Tuesday that Serbia is firmly committed to further fostering of bilateral relations that should contribute to regional stability and the European future of the Balkans. The Serbian government is convinced that dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is the only way for finding a compromise solution for Kosovo-Metohija, it was noted at the meeting, the government press service said. Serbia is ready to start talks in keeping with the Resolution recently adopted by the UN General Assembly, the release says. As regards economic cooperation, it was noted that the US is one of the largest foreign investors in Serbia, with investments of about USD 1.6 billion. Cvetkovic and Clinton pointed to the need for fostering economic cooperation further, increasing investments and intensifying bilateral trade exchange. The meeting was attended also by Serbian Deputy Prime Ministers Ivica Dacic, Bozidar Djelic and Mladjan Dinkic, and Director of the Government Office for European Integration Milica Delevic, the release says.

SUTANOVAC CONFERS WITH CLINTON

BELGRADE, Oct 12 (Tanjug) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac in the Palace of Serbia on Tuesday, by which the formal part of Clintons visit to Belgrade was completed. Earlier Tuesday, Clinton met with Serbian President Boris Tadic, Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic. Later on Tuesday, the U.S. secretary of state will hold informal meetings with NGO representatives Clinton will go on a visit to Pristina on Wednesday.

COOPERATION IN DEFENSE BEST PART OF SERBIA-US RELATIONS

BELGRADE, Oct 12 (Tanjug) - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac commended Tuesday the cooperation in defense as the best part of all-round Serbia-US relations, the Defense Ministry said in a release. At their meeting in the Palace of Serbia, Clinton and Sutanovac concluded that cooperation should be pursued in the very successful programs, such as military education and cooperation within the state partnership program, the release says. Sutanovac briefed Clinton on the results achieved so far in the reform of Serbia’s defense system and emphasized that his ministry’s priorities in the near future are completing army professionalization by the end of the year, army modernization and more intensive participation in multinational operations, the release says. He noted that Serbian Army and Defense Ministry are taking part in all regional security initiatives, thus making a full contribution to building peace and stability in the Western Balkans region. Clinton particularly pointed to the level of cooperation achieved between the Serbian Army and the Ohio National Guard, the release says. During the talk on integration in Europe, Clinton expressed full support to Serbia’s endeavors for joining the European Union, the release says.

CLINTON: US WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT CIVIL SOCIETY IN SERBIA

BELGRADE, Oct 13 (Tanjug) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with representatives of about 30 non-governmental (NGO) organizations in Belgrade late on Tuesday and announced that the United States of America will continue to support the civil society in Serbia. Executive Director of Civic Initiatives Miljenko Dereta told Tanjug that Clinton commended NGO representatives on the role of the civil society in political changes in Serbia. According to him, Clinton concluded that what the civil society does in Serbia is, in a way, in keeping with the U.S. democratic tradition and that Washington will continue to support it. Representatives of several religious communities also attended the meeting the U.S. secretary of state had with the NGO representatives. Milan Antonijevic. Executive Director of the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, told Tanjug that Hillary Clinton showed great interest in the civil society activities in Serbia, evaluating that there are still many areas in which NGOs may fulfill their social role. The informal meeting Hillary Clinton had with lawyers of the most influential NGOs in Serbia marked the end of her visit to Belgrade.

- SERBIA

SERBIAN SPEAKER IN CONDOLENCE NOTES TO HUNGARY, UKRAINE

BELGRADE, Oct. 12 (Beta) - Parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic Dejanovic has sent a letter of condolence to Hungarian Parliament Speaker Laszlo Kover after eight people died in a toxic sludge spill in the country’s west, a statement released by Parliament on Oct. 12 said. The toxic red mud burst out of a cracked containment reservoir next to the aluminum plant in the town of Ajka in western Hungary on Oct. 4, flooding the area. At least eight people died while the damage to the environment is astronomical. Djukic Dejanovic also sent a letter of condolence to Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Vladimir Litvin in response to the death of 40 people in a collision between a train and a bus. The accident, which happened in Ukraine’s eastern Dnyepropetrovsk region early on Oct. 12, left at least 40 people dead.

PRICA: SERBIA’S POSITION IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IMPROVES

BELGRADE, Oct 12 (Tanjug) - Serbia’s position in international and regional organizations has significantly improved, which is one of the better ways for the country to be included in the solving of global problems and to protect its own interests, the representatives of the Serbian Foreign Ministry assessed on Tuesday. "In the past ten years, Serbia has improved its position in social, political, economic and financial international organizations," Serbian Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister for Multilateral Affairs Sladjana Prica stated at the international conference entitled ’Serbia’s role and place in international organizations.’ "The Foreign Ministry cannot be the only one in charge of foreign policy, particularly not today, when we are striving for EU membership," Prica stressed, adding that Serbia is active is all regional institutions as well, which contributed to the improvement of international relations and regional stabilization in the territory of former Yugoslavia. More attention should be paid to the membership in the Non-Aligned Movement, Prica said, and pointed to Serbia’s membership in the UN and the Council of Europe as the most important ones. "Serbia is fighting for the respect of international law and preservation of sovereignty and territorial integrity in Kosovo-Metohija precisely based on the UN Charter," she underscored. ’Serbia’s role and place in international organizations’ conference was organized by the Institute of International Politics and Economics and the German Foundation Hans Seidel.

BOZINOVIC: SERBIA READY TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS AND USE POSSIBILITIES

VIENNA, Oct 13 (Tanjug) - Serbian Ambassador to Austria Milovan Bozinovic pointed out in Vienna on Tuesday evening that Serbia is ready to overcome problems and use the possibilities that are being offered. At the ’Discovering Serbia’ event, organized by the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS) in Austria, Bozinovic pointed out that Serbia is a country with a formed European structure, with all the features of a state with a completed transition phase, which still has plenty of possibilities, but also problems that can and should be resolved. He underscored that the main goal of Serbia’s policy is the EU membership. Bozinovic said that Austria is the biggest foreign investor in Serbia, adding that the best compliment for a country is when businessmen assess it as a place where one can generate a solid profit. MP at the Vienna City Parliament Anica Matzka-Dojder pointed out that PKS representative office organized many activities in Austria in order to promote Serbia and present it in the best possible way. The ’Discovering Serbia’ event was organized by PKS representative office in Austria, in cooperation with the Vienna City Council, Austrian Association of Social Democratic Entrepreneurs, the Serbian Embassy and Serbian Cultural Forum in Vienna. With the use of multimedia - music, videos and fashion show, the event presented a new face of a different and modern Serbia, which is an ideal location for investments, but also for tourism, living and work.

JAGLAND COMMENDS SERBIA ON PROTECTING FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

STRASBOURG, Oct 12 (Tanjug) - Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland has welcomed the Pride Parade held in Belgrade on Sunday and the manner in which the Serbian authorities managed to protect the freedom of expression in spite of the security challenges posed by riots, Serbian Justice Minister Snezana Malovic told Tanjug on Tuesday. "We agreed that violence seen on the streets of Belgrade is unacceptable and I assured Mr. Jagland that Serbia is determined to prosecute all lawbreakers and riot organisers," Malovic said after meeting with Jagland in Strasbourg. Malovic and Jagland signed the European Convention on the Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes and the European Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitation to Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes. By signing the two Conventions, the monitoring procedure of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will be completed. The ratification and signing of the European Convention on the Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes and its implementation envisage the compensation of victims of intentional crimes of violence who have suffered bodily injury or impairment of health and of dependants of persons who have died as a result of such crimes, in particular when the offender has not been identified or is without resources. The Serbian legislature is harmonized with the convention, as Serbia’s Constitution envisages non-applicability of statutory limitation to war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.

SPASOJEVIC: SERBIA FOR REGIONAL SECURITY THROUGH COOPERATION

BELGRADE, TIRANA, Oct 12 (Tanjug) - Serbian State Secretary at the Ministry of Defense Dusan Spasojevic emphasized in Tirana on Tuesday that Serbia wants to contribute the establishing of security and trust in South East Europe through regional cooperation. At a two-day ministerial meeting of the Southeast European Defence Ministerial (SEDM) Process, which will be completed in Tirana on Tuesday, Spasojevic pointed out that regional cooperation is beneficial for every country in the region. Main topics of this year’s annual SEDM meeting are the initiatives that have been launched so far within the SEDM framework and propositions on new ways of cooperation. The meeting has so far focused on bilateral defense cooperation and political-security situation in the region. Serbia has been actively involved in SEDM conferences, since 2006, at first with the status of observer, and as a full member since last year. HAGUE: ICTY STILL CONDITION, CANDIDACY STILL POSSIBLE BELGRADE, Oct. 12 (Beta) - The Dutch government still believes that Serbia’s progress en route to the EU should hinge on full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, but it allows for the possibility of a greenlight for Serbia’s EU membership candidacy request at an upcoming meeting of the EU Council of Ministers in Luxembourg. The above stems from a preparatory letter from acting Dutch foreign minister Maxim Verhagen ahead of a debate in the Dutch Parliament’s Committee on European Affairs, scheduled for Oct. 13. "The government thinks that any further steps in Serbia’s EU accession must be in accordance with full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia," the document, a copy of which was made available to BETA, says. Verhagen, however, stressed that the European Commission and EU’s remaining 26 member states "desire a positive decision" on Serbia’s candidacy in "light of Serbia’s constructive behavior" with regard to the adoption of a resolution on Kosovo by the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 9. "Whether progress in the talks between Serbia and Kosovo, mentioned in the resolution, should figure as a factor when weighing the candidacy request will be subsequently decided by the Dutch government, Verhagen said.

- KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

KRASNICI IN FAVOUR OF U.S. MEDIATION IN TALKS WITH BELGRADE

PRISTINA, Oct 12 (Tanjug) - Acting Kosovo President Jakup Krasnici stated on Tuesday that Kosovo will demand the U.S. to be one of the mediators in Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. Ahead of the Wednesday visit of U.S. Secretary of the State Hillary Clinton to Kosovo, Krasnici said that the U.S, just as the EU, should have the role of a mediator in the talks with Belgrade. Addressing reporters following a session of the Kosovo parliament presidency, Krasnici did not specify the exact date of early elections in Kosovo, but only said that this information will follow shortly.

For further information: Minister for Foreign Affairs of Serbia