BELGRADE, Feb 4 (Tanjug) -Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic expressed his satisfaction with the current relations in the region in view of the heritage of the recent past, adding that the official Belgrade had to respond to the steps taken by some countries which violated Serbia's vital national interests. "We had to respond in order to prevent further destruction of our state interests. We did it cautiously using diplomatic means. I believe that we were successful because neither the economy nor citizens felt anything," Jeremic said at RTS. He pointed out that giving in to any of those steps would result in an "avalanche" of similar steps by other states. "Should we not respond to a move by a country that recognizes Kosovo or establishes diplomatic relations, it would be a signal to all that Serbia had given up the fight. We have to have a clear policy of principle, which has a response to every step that would result in a violation of the state soc and integrity," he said. That is why Serbia has "responded diplomatically to every move of Podgorica that was aimed at supporting Kosovo," but, at the same time, it made sure the ordinary people did not feel it, observed Jeremic. Jeremic also said that Serbia and Croatia should overcome their differences within their relations and solve them the way France and Germany did it, "but one should know who France is and who Germany is." "We want the best of relations with Croatia, but we have a number of open issues and problems," said Jeremic, underscoring that Serbia had a good will to solve them.

WASHINGTON, Feb 4 (Tanjug) - Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dacic has visited the US CIA headquarters in Washington and spoke with his American colleagues on the fight against terrorism and illegal drug trade. Dacic held a lecture at the National Security Institute in a military base in Washington, on the topic 'Serbia - Security of the Western Balkans and organized crime', the Serbian Interior Ministry said in a statement. In his lecture, Dacic said that "we have a country which is an exporter of security and a partner of the international community, whose police and army contribute to establishing and preserving peace and security in the world." According to him, Serbia is a country which is successfully fighting crime and corruption and whose citizens are able to freely travel the world with the respect they deserve. Dacic will continue his visit by holding a meeting with FBI Director.

BELGRADE, Feb 3 (Tanjug) - Parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic said on Wednesday that the final version of the draft law on the parliament will be completed next week and that she expects the act to be passed by March 1 at the latest, i.e. before the regular spring session. After a meeting with parliamentary group representatives, Djukic-Dejanovic told reporters that drafting the law is almost done and that the text which answers the most pertinent questions regarding the parliament's status and functions has been completed. According to her, this is the first time such a law has been in procedure in the Serbian parliament, which is why all the solutions are completely new. Dejanovic specified that the law will not regulate MPs' salaries and pensions, that MP mandates are regulated by the Law on Election of Representatives, and that their immunity is regulated in accordance with the Constitution. A new practice is that MPs will take their oath before Serbian citizens, she said and added that the parliament will gain autonomy in matters of finance. "The secretary submits a draft of the parliamentary budget, then there is a series of talks with the Finance Ministry and if an agreement is reached, the draft is voted on by the parliament," the parliament speaker explained and added that financial independence will also make it possible to improve the parliament's supervisory role. She added that the resolution on Srebrenica was also discussed at the consultations, reminding that the MPs of the Democratic Party of Serbia-New Serbia coalition had submitted their draft resolution, and that the LDP delivered their own notes on the topic today."All of this shows that the draft resolution is being considered and that it will soon be on the parliament's agenda," Dejanovic said.

BELGRADE, Feb 3 (Tanjug) - A request was addressed to the German Justice Ministry for the extradition of the leader of the National Formation organization Goran Davidovic AKA the Fuhrer, who was arrested in Traunstein, Germany, on the basis of an international arrest warrant, Serbian Justice Minister Snezana Malovic said Wednesday. The Serbian ministry had earlier requested the extradition of Davidovic from Italy, where he was first arrested, Malovic told Tanjug. As the Court of Appeal in Trieste has not yet taken a decision on the request, Davidovic was released and fled to Germany, where he was subsequently arrested at the request of The Serbian Interpol.

BELGRADE, Feb 3 (Tanjug) - Protector of Citizens Sasa Jankovic expressed his satisfaction with the preliminary results of the first control visit to the Security-Information Agency (BIA) and with the conversation with BIA Director. BIA management and employees "fully respected their legal obligation to cooperate with the protector of citizens, made all the necessary information and data available and provided direct access to documentation," the ombudsman assessed. The citizens' protector will deliver the control report, which contains suggested improvements to BIA's operations, to BIA and the Serbian parliament as soon as possible, the Office of the Citizens' Protector said in a statement. The statement adds that the ombudsman will acquaint the public with his report. The citizens' protector investigated if citizens' rights are being respected in the course of BIA operations, reads the statement.

WASHINGTON, Feb 3 (Tanjug) - President of the friendship group between Serbia and US and G17 Plus official Vlajko Senic stated Wednesday that the relations between Serbia and US are on an upturn and that the trend will continue in future. Senic, who will attend the traditional Prayer Breakfast organized by US President Barack Obama, told that the visit to Washington is an ideal opportunity for formal and informal talks with representatives of US administration and the Congress. "My personal impression is that the relation between Serbia and America are on an upturn and that the trend will be continued in future," Senic said. He underscored that he had successful talks in the SD with Director of the Office of South-Central Europe Jason Hyland and Serbian Desk Officer Pit Peterson, adding that in the talks with a number of congressmen and senators, he proposed that they should come to Serbia and see that they have a good and reliable partner in the Balkans. Senic said that he is to attend talks on Serbia-US cooperation, which is best realized in the military domain, in Pentagon on Wednesday. "We also have potentials to be the regional leader and I am certain that with support of our American friends we will be able use it," Senic said.

BELGRADE, Feb 5 (Tanjug) - Minister of Labor and Social Policy Rasim Ljajic said that the reshuffling of the government could bring political points to executive authorities and that it would be economically useful, but added, however, that this is possible only with an agreement between all the members of the ruling coalition. "We have been passed all the burning issues of the former governments and the economic crisis as well. The government's position is not favorable at all, and I think that the reshuffling would be a move that could not only bring the political points to the government, but would also lead it to a more offensive position compared with the current one," Ljajic told in the Institute of Economic Sciences where he attended the meeting dedicated to the privatization in Serbia. He evaluated that the government should assume a proactive role in the process, and added that this should be the topic of a joint meeting of the ruling coalition. The need for holding a special meeting comes from the necessity to determine the criteria for the cut of ministries and concrete suggestions which should define which ones of the ministries would be included. All that should be done through an agreement made between all the members of the ruling coalition, Ljajic concluded.