Belgrade, 11. 04. 2008.

SERBIA - EU

• TADIC: STABILISATION AGREEMENT WILL BE SIGNED
• KOSTUNICA: AGREEMENT WITH EU ONLY WITH INTEGRAL SERBIA
• SPEAKER SAYS STABILIZATION & ASSOCIATION DEAL TALKS UNDERWAY
• DULIC MEETS COUNCIL OF EUROPE REPRESENTATIVE

• COOPERATION MADE MORE DIFFICULT, BUT MUST BE CONCLUDED
• LJAJIC: ICTY SHOULD OPEN PROCEEDINGS AGAINST JESSEN-PETERSEN
• LJAJIC: SERBIA DESERVES TO SIGN AGREEMENT WITH EU
• VERHAGEN: HAGUE IS THE KEY TO EUROPEAN INTEGRATIONS

• CoE: NO CONDITIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS
• RIK MUST ORGANIZE ELECTIONS IN KEEPING WITH LAW
• S. MCCORMACK AGAINST ELECTIONS IN KOSOVO

• KOSTUNICA CALLS FOR CULTURAL COOPERATION WITH RUSSIA
• SERBIA & RUSSIA SHARE COMMON POLICY
• GOVERNMENT UNANIMOUS ON BREAKING CONTRACT WITH A-TEK
• MUNTER FAVOURS SERBIAN INTEGRATION IN WESTERN STRUCTURES

• SPASOJEVIC: MOLDOVA SUPPORTS SERBIA'S STANDS ON KOSOVO
• INTERNATIONAL FORCES SHOULD ACT WITH MODERATION, SAYS MOSCOW
• LAVROV & BAN KI MOON RECOMMEND RELYING ON RESOLUTION 1244
• KATSU: ISSUE OF KOSOVO MEMBERSHIP IN WB NOT TOPICAL
• TITOV: RUSSIA FOR RENEWING BELGRADE-PRISTINA NEGOTIATIONS
• LAVROV: FOR RESOLUTION 1244, RESPECT OF UN MISSION MANDATE
• BRITISH DEPUTY: SOLUTION - GREATER AUTONOMY FOR KOSOVO

BELGRADE, April 11 (Tanjug) - Serbian president Boris Tadic, has said that the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) will "of course be signed," because, with its decision, the Serbian government has authorized its representative to sign the document. "The government's decision is that the document be signed and the signator of this agreement has already been decided upon. In order to revoke the decision, the government has to vote differently. If the DSS has a majority in the government, let it decide otherwise," Tadic said late on Thursday in a broadcast by the TV Studio B. He added that as long as the decision was not denied, it would remain valid, and underlined that if offered to Serbia within short, the SAA would be signed. He added that Serbia would not recognize the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo if someone posed that as a condition for the country's admission into the EU, and pointed out that such a demand could not be put forward, particularly not because the EU lacked unity on the Kosovo issue, since some of its member countries had not and would not recognize the province's independence. Tadic said that it would be the country itself and its citizens that would benefit the most from the SAA, because 80 per cent of that agreement implied a regulation of economic relations with the EU. He said that the DS advocated Serbia's joining the EU, as one whole together with Kosovo, and added that the EU could not define the borders of Serbia. "We are the ones that define Serbia's borders, not the EU, our borders are recognized by the United Nations, and the EU has nothing to do with this, because there are some countries in it that have already recognized or are about to recognize Kosovo's independence, and there are some that will never do that. The EU does not have the mechanism to decide on Serbia's borders," Tadic said. He explained that the agreement clearly mentioned Resolution 1244, the sole basis for the preservation of Kosovo and Metohija from the point of view of international law.

BELGRADE, April 10 (Beta) - Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica on April 10 stated that the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU "must not be signed if beforehand it is not explicitly confirmed that the Agreement refers to an integral Serbia." "There must be no tradeoff with Kosovo, and Solana's agreement must not be signed unless it is explicitly confirmed that the agreement refers to an integral Serbia," Kostunica told BETA. Kostunica stated that the Agreement with the EU "might represent a party interest" of the Democratic Party, G17 Plus and the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina coalition, but that the agreement "is certainly not in the best interest of the state of Serbia and the Serbian people."

"We openly state that we suspect that Solana's agreement, being offered to the coalition of Canak, the Democratic Party and G17 Plus, represents an attempt at signing Kosovo's independence," Kostunica said. He added that "the intimidation of the citizens with propaganda about selfisolation aims at hiding their intention to recognize the first NATO state by signing Solana's agreement." "All of a sudden, we see that, when it comes to Solana's agreement, the government is no longer a caretaker government; it seems that that applied only to the energy agreement with Russia," Kostunica said.

BELGRADE, April 10 (Beta) - Parliament Speaker Oliver Dulic, a member of the Democratic Party, said that the group is trying to arrange the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with EU officials. "We have not talked about a date, but we did discuss whether Serbia will become a member of the EU, whether Serbia has support in that respect, and the pace of the process," Dulic told reporters.

He added that his party's goal is to make Serbia a candidate for EU membership either late this year or in early 2009, leading to full membership within several years. Dulic explained that the government was brought down by the Democratic Party of Serbia's abandonment of the SAA, not because of a policy change on Kosovo. "It's clear that [Prime Minister] Kostunica had a problem with us becoming members of the EU and the introduction of European standards in the near future," he added.

BELGRADE, Apr 10 (Tanjug) - Serbian parliament President Oliver Dulic on Thursday discussed with Jean-Louis Laurens, Director General of Political Affairs, Council of Europe (CE), the political situation in Serbia ahead of the early parliamentary election, it was stated by Dulic's cabinet. They also discussed the process of the necessary reforms in Serbia and the country's progress in the process of stabilization and association with the European Union, the statement read. Dulic and Laurens also exchanged views on the relations between Serbia and the CE and EU institutions after the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo and Metohija, the statement read.

BELGRADE, April 10 (Tanjug) - National Council for Cooperation with the ICTY President Rasim Ljajic said on Thursday that our cooperation with the Tribunal after the acquittal of Ramus Haradinaj is made considerably more difficult, but that it has to be concluded for our own sake. "We are aware that we will have to face this obstacle on our road towards the European Union and for that reason it is better that we do that ourselves, rather than to be exposed to constant pressures," Ljajic told the press. He added, however, that our country also must point at the policy of double standards, the Tribunal clearly demonstrated in the proceedings held before that court. In some elements, the court was more concerned about politics than justice and the latest verdict to Haradinaj speaks for itself, Ljajic said, and recalled that there were no reactions by the international community to that decision. Now the public is unequivocal that the ICTY is more political than legal institution, and the absolute majority of citizens is against cooperation with the Tribunal, he said.

BELGRADE, April 10 (Tanjug) - President Rasim Ljajic of the National Council for Cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague said on Thursday that Serbia will ask the ICTY to open proceedings against UNMIK former chief Soren Jessen-Petersen, who is chiefly responsible, in addition to the international community, for the release of former leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) and former Kosovo prime minister Ramush Haradinaj. The Council met in session today, and it was decided that the ICTY should be asked to continue the investigation in connection with the crimes committed against Serbs, about which ICTY former chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte wrote in her memoirs, Ljajic said. "We will ask the United Nations that the procedures in connection with the investigations of crimes committed against Serbs in Kosovo and the verdict against Haradinaj should take place before the Tribunal," Ljajic said.

BELGRADE, April 10 (Tanjug) - President Rasim Ljajic of the National Council for Cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague said on Thursday that Serbia deserves to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union (EU) , and that neither the ICTY nor The Netherlands should be an obstacle to this. ICTY new chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz is to visit Belgrade next week, Ljajic announced, and one of the topics during his talks will certainly be Serbia's Agreement with the EU. "The Hague Tribunal cannot be an obstacle in the way of this, and even less should it be The Netherlands, which is trying to relieve its guilty conscience over the crime in Srebrenica in this way, but punishing us at this point," Ljajic said.

BELGRADE, Apr 10 (Tanjug) - The key condition for a continuation of Serbia's European integrations is full cooperation with The Hague tribunal, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Verhagen stated in Belgrade on Thursday. Verhagen recalled that his country, in cooperation with other EU member states, had formulated the conditions that Serbia has to meet in order to resume the process of association with the Union, and that the key prerequisite is full cooperation with the ICTY. According to Verhagen, it had been underscored during the talks with Serbia on the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement that it is necessary to curb the policy of nonpunishment, as well as to cooperate with the tribunal.

BELGRADE, April 10 (Beta) - The delegation of the Council of Europe (CoE) observer mission has been told by the Republican Electoral Commission that the possibility is being considered for observer credentials not to be issued to representatives of the countries that have recognized Kosovo.” This is an unacceptable demand. We are advocating the stand that elections should be observed by either everyone or no one," the chief of the CoE observer mission, Jean Charles Gardetto, said at a news conference. In its report, the CoE observer mission's delegation concluded that the "credentials for international observers of the May 11 parliamentary elections should not be conditioned by inappropriate demands."

However, Gardetto said the members of the CoE delegation have received assurances from the Serbian Parliament that "this problem will be solved," but recollected that it was still up to the Electoral Commission to decide about the credentials. According to information, members of the observer mission delegation have had informal telephone conferences with the chief of Serbia's parliamentary delegation in the CoE, Milos Aligrudic, and Serbian Parliament Speaker Oliver Dulic. Gardetto said the observer mission also advocated the broader inclusion of minority representatives into the political process, with the aim of securing better representation in the Parliament.

The delegation of the CoE observer mission visited Belgrade on April 9 and 10, by invitation of the Serbian Parliament speaker.

BELGRADE, Apr 10 (Tanjug) - Serbian central electoral commission (RIK) cannot decide whether elections will be held or not, its task is to organize elections in keeping with the law, to the extent to which this is possible when polls are held at several levels, RIK President Sonja Brkic said Thursday.

The Serbian government has forwarded to RIK its binding conclusions on organizing the holding of local elections in Kosovo-Metohija. On the basis of that document, RIK adopted instructions regulating the way the elections will be organized in Kosovo, she told Tanjug.

UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker said earlier in the day that Serbia cannot organize or hold local elections in Kosovo as that would violate the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, and emphasized that any elections in the province can be organized by UNMIK only. Serbia cannot organize local elections in Kosovo. If it tries to do so, the elections will not be valid, Ruecker told the BBC.

WASHINGTON, April 11 (Tanjug) - State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said late on Thursday that Kosovo was a sovereign state and that it was not for some other country to call and organize elections in it. Our stand is that Kosovo is a sovereign state and that it is not for some other country to call and organize elections in one sovereign state, McCormack said while commenting on the decision by the Serbian authorities that during the all-level Serbian elections that had been called for May 11, elections would take place in 23 municipalities in Kosovo. Asked if there was a threat that once the Kosovo constitution was adopted, clashes broke out between the (Kosovo) Albanian extremists and the EU soldiers, McCormack answered that the US was very closely cooperating with the new Kosovo government. My impression is that the ones that are responsible for any possible agitation are, in fact, the people that come from the outside, the State Department spokesman underlined.

BELGRADE, Apr 10 (Tanjug) - Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica on Thursday received Director of the Russian center for International Scientific and Cultural Cooperation Eleonora Mitrofanova and underscored that it is very important to expand the cooperation between the two countries in the area of culture, science, education and film and television creations. Kostunica underscored that the ties between Serbia and Russia and their people are historic and that the two countries devote much attention to the political, economic, cultural and scientific cooperation, it was said in a statement released by the Serbian government office for cooperation with media. Vojislav Kostunica underscored that the cultural and scientific cooperation between the two countries has a long tradition and is particularly linked with the activities of the Russian House in Belgrade, which marks 75 years of its work. Mitrofanova said that the 75th anniversary of the Russian House activities in Belgrade is an evidence of strong ties between the Serbian and Russian peoples, adding that it is important to expand cultural cooperation. She underscored that the Russian House is preparing a number of events to be held across Serbia, which should contribute to the strengthening of our cultural cooperation.

BELGRADE, Apr 10 (Tanjug) - Serbia and Russia share a joint and principled policy of respect of international law and of sovereignty and territorial integrity of internationally recognized states, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and Vice-President of the Russian Federal Assembly Council Alexander Toshin agreed Thursday. Kostunica emphasized that Serbia has annulled the illegal unilateral declaration of independence of a false state of Kosovo-Metohija and that this province is an integral and inseparable part of Serbia's territory, the Serbian government said in a release. Russia's stand is that the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo constituted a glaring violation of international law, Toshin said. He pointed to the importance of bilateral economic cooperation and of implementation of the energy agreement the two countries have signed. The agreement will be implemented, Kostunica said, noting that it is in Serbia's interest. He also thanked Russia for its humanitarian aid to Serbs in Kosovo.

BELGRADE, Apr 10 (Tanjug) - The Serbian government on Thursday unanimously decided to break the contract with Austria's A-Tek on purchase of the mining and smelting basin RTB Bor, and did not discuss new requests of the company, Tanjug learned at the government today. The Committee for Restructuring and Privatization of the RTB Bor on Wednesday unanimously decided to recommend to the government to break the contract with A-Tek because it had failed to fulfill the conditions of the contract. Under the Law on privatization, the second-ranked participant of the tender, Russia's SMR in this case, will be invited for negotiations.

BELGRADE, April 10 (Tanjug) - US Ambassador in Belgrade Cameron Munter on Thursday urged Serbia's economic and commercial integration in Western structures. Munter on Thursday met with Serbian businessmen rallied in the Privrednik (Businessman) club and discussed Serbia's economic development, the US Embassy said in a statement.

BELGRADE/KISHINEV, April 10 (Tanjug) - Secretary of State Dusan Spasojevic with the Serbian Defense Ministry said on Thursday that Moldova absolutely supports Serbia's stands on the resolving of the future status of Kosovo and Metohija and on the unilateral proclamation of the independence of that province. Speaking after talks with Moldovan Defense Minister Vitalie Vrabie, Spasojevic said in a statement for Tanjug that this support comes from all institutions and structures of Modlova - from the Moldovan government and the Moldovan parliament. The Serbian delegation gave support in principle to the territorial integrity of Moldova and for the problem of the status of Pridnestrovye being resolved through negotiations and a compromise reached by the two sides. Spasojevic is in Kishinev to attend an annual meeting of the RACVIAC, the multinational advisory group of the Center for Security Cooperation. The meeting is attended by representatives of 23 countries of the region, Europe, and the world, and representatives of five international organizations.

MOSCOW, April 10 (Beta) - On April 10, Russia called on the international forces in Kosovo, on the EU and NATO to act with moderation and balance, and strictly within the mandate approved by the U.N. SC. In a statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry it was said that "according to reports of certain Western media, international forces in Kosovo are preparing operations against the Kosovo Serbs, with the aim to provoke them."

The Russian ministry added that "such measures are threatening to lead to an accelerated division of the province and to a major conflict in the region.” We are calling on international forces, the EU and NATO to make a responsible assessment of the consequences of the use of such force, to act with moderation and balance, and strictly within the mandate they received from the U.N. Security Council on the basis of Resolution 1244," it was said in the ministry's statement.

MOSCOW, April 10 (Beta) -Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said in Moscow on April 10 that, in solving the Kosovo problem, one must rely on U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244. "We have discussed the situation in Kosovo and have agreed that one must rely on Resolution 1244, and that the mandate of the U.N. mission in Kosovo must be realized," Lavrov said at a news conference after the meeting with Ki Moon.

He said that all unilateral decisions made despite the U.N. and in violation of its Charter, created new, serious problems. Lavrov said he hoped the international community will learn a lesson from this experience and concentrate on supporting the central role of the U.N. in solving all crises. Regarding Kosovo, the U.N. Secretary General stressed the need for a pragmatic approach by all major stakeholders. He reaffirmed the U.N. position of being status neutral in Kosovo and operating in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1244.

WASHINGTON, April 10 (Tanjug) - World Bank (WB) Regional Vice President Shigeo Katsu said on Thursday that the subject of the membership of self-proclaimed Kosovo is not a topical issue and that the activities of the WB regarding Kosovo will depend on the decision of the stock-holders. Katsu told the Itar-Tass news agency in Washington that the topic of Kosovo is not included in the agenda of the upcoming spring session of the managing bodies of the WB and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on April 12-13. Katsu did not wish to make any suppositions. Everything depends on the stock-holders. Kosovo is not a member of the SB at present, and Pristina must first resolve the question of its membership in the IMF before it can consider becoming a member of the SB, the SB official underscored.

MOSCOW/ATHENS, April 10 (Tanjug) - Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov said on Thursday that Russia is advocating that Belgrade and Pristina begin new negotiations in order to find a mutually acceptable solution for the issue of Kosovo. Russia is against the independence of Kosovo, because that is in violation of international laws and principles, among other things, United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 1244, Titov said, speaking after a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis in Athens, the Russian news agency Itar-Tass said. The Russian diplomat said that Moscow urges the renewal of negotiations so that a solution approved by both sides can be found. Russia has been proposing a specific road map for several months now, in order to comply with the aspirations of Kosovo and Serbia to join the European Union, and that a stable and long-term solution can be found, one that would strengthen peace and stability in the Balkans, Titov said. It is still not late to renew the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina, Titov said, because the independence of Kosovo has not been recognized by many countries, and there are many more countries that have announced they will never recognize Kosovo's independence.

MOSCOW, April 11 (Tanjug) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Moscow on Thursday that during his meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, joint position had been confirmed that it was essential to observe UN Security Council Resolution 1244 to strictly realize the mandate of the world organization in the southern Serbian province of Kosovo and Metohija. "We discussed the situation in Kosovo. We confirmed our position under which it is necessary to rely on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and comply with the mandate of the UN Mission in Kosovo," Minister Lavrov said after the talks, and the Russian state news agency Itar-Tass reported. According to the Russian foreign minister, any unilateral actions which bypass the UN and violate the world organization’s Charter arouse new serious problems.

BRUSSELS, April 11 (Tanjug) - It would be a better solution if greater autonomy was granted to Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia, British member of the European Parliament (EP) Geoffrey Van Orden has assessed. Van Orden, deputy of the main opposition British Conservative Party for the Eastern region, also advocated the strengthening of pro-reform forces in Serbia and improvement of the relations of the West with Russia, EurActive reported on its Web site. The British parliamentarian, who is also a member of the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs, added that he was not pleased with the solution for Kosovo, pointing out that he was not sure that it was the best solution that could have been achieved and that more effort should have been made in order to find a way to give the province greater autonomy within Serbia.