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Belgrade, March 4, 2010 STEFANOVIC: SERBIA & CROATIA HAVE GOOD WILL TO SOLVE ISSUE OF BORDERSBELGRADE, March 3 (Tanjug) - Foreign Ministry Political Director Borko Stefanovic said that there is a good will of the official Belgrade and Zagreb to solve the open issue of the border on the Danube River, and added that he expects that a meeting between the two countries' State Committees for Borders will be held as soon as possible. "I hope that the two committees will find an adequate solution and that we will circumvent the international arbitrage," Stefanovic has told. He pointed out that Serbia's stands on the issue are based on international law and practice. "This means that the border line should follow the middle of the Danube's flow, as it has been so far. Croatia's position is that the border line should follow the land registered in cadastre, larger part of which is Croatian but is positioned on the Serbian side of the Danube, whereas its smaller part is on the Croatian side, Stefanovic explained. He pointed out that the land is not owned by the states but by private owners, and due to that Serbia thinks that the Croatian approach to the issue of the border is not based on international law. Croatian President Ivo Josipovic stated recently that the biggest moot points in the relation of Croatia and Serbia are the border and the issues "related to war and the postwar period," but added that he thinks that the border problem with Serbia, unlike that with Slovenia, is smaller and easier to solve, by "applying one or the other criterion." ALKALAJ ON HIS PHONE CONVERSATION WITH JEREMIC BANJA LUKA, March 4 (Tanjug) - Bosnian Foreign Minister Sven Alkalaj told his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic that the arrest of wartime BiH Presidency member Ejup Ganic in London on Serbia's warrant is not the way to improve the relations between the two countries. "I told him that we are lodging a firm protest to the Serbian government and demanding that it withdraw the request for Ganic's extradition, as a step towards further strengthening neighborly relations," Alkalaj said, commenting on his phone conversation with Jeremic. However, Belgrade has not withdrawn its request, Alkalaj said in a BiH Radiotelevision program dedicated to the Ganic case. Alkalaj said that the Bosnian Foreign Ministry also lodged a note of protest with the British Foreign Office through the Bosnian Embassy in London right after Ganic was arrested, and demanded an explanation why the former Sarajevo official was detained. "We still haven't received an answer. We sent a new note of protest to the Foreign Office, and asked for an explanation for their actions and why they acted on Serbia's request," Alkalaj said. DEPUTY FM OF BIH: NOTE OF PROTEST TO SERBIA IS NOT POSITION OF BIH MIP BANJA LUKA, March 4 (Tanjug) - Deputy Foreign Minister of BiH Ana Trisic-Babic stated that the note of protest filed with the Serbian Embassy in BiH by BiH Assistant Foreign Minister Jasmina Pasalic, regarding the Ejup Ganic case, is not the official position of the BiH Foreign Ministry. Trisic-Babic said that, as BiH Deputy Foreign Minister, she was not at all informed about the note of protest filed with the Serbian Embassy in Sarajevo, and assessed that the document is primarely of political nature. She said that Pasalic, who is in charge of bilateral relations, is a government employee who is not allowed to sign any notes. Serbian Ambassador to BiH Grujica Spasovic confirmed that he received the note of protest and forwarded it to the Serbian Foreign Ministry. DISCUSSIONS ABOUT RESOLUTION ON SREBRENICA ARE STILL ONGOING BELGRADE, March 3 (Tanjug) - Parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic said that political compromises surrounding the future resolution on the 1995 massacre in Srebrenica are still being made, adding that she doubts that anyone knows the contents of that text. "I doubt that anyone knows the contents of the text, but I presume that we all know, more or less, what it might look like," said Dejanovic. She told TV B92 that the document should contain "five, six sentences" which would condemn the crime in Srebrenica from an ethical, political and statesman point of view. Dejanovic stressed that it is important for the document to have all that, adding that there are ongoing talks to involve as many MPs from different parliamentary groups as possible in creating the text. She remarked that there are differences among MPs on whether or not to use the word genocide in the document. According to her, if the parliamentary majority had wished to adopt a resolution, "we would have had such a document a long time ago." "It is obvious that political compromises are still being made so that the largest possible number of MPs would accept it," Dejanovic stated. GANIC REMAINS IN CUSTODY LONDON, March 3 (Tanjug) - A British judge has ordered that Bosnian war leader Ejup Ganic remain in custody despite a request to release him on bail. District Judge Quentin Purdy ordered Ganic detained until a future hearing in a London court, AP agency reports. Ganic was arrested Monday at Heathrow Airport after Serbia issued an arrest warrant accusing him of war crimes in connection with the 1992 deaths of Serbian troops in Bosnia. TURKISH AMBASSADOR: SERBIA AND TURKEY HAVE TO JOIN FORCES BELGRADE, March 4 (Tanjug) - Serbia and Turkey are the key countries for security and stability in the region which can be established only if Belgrade and Ankara join their forces and work together, Turkish Ambassador to Belgrade Ahmet Suha Umar told, adding that only together will the two countries be able to make greater progress toward the EU.The entire Balkans is very important for Turkey since that is the region that stands between Turkey and Europe, Umar said, adding that Serbia has special importance in the region since it is located in the central part and has great influence on other regional countries.However, it would be difficult to maintain peace and stability in the region without Turkey, but if Serbia and Turkey join their forces and efforts, it will be much easier to accomplish these goals, he said and added that peace and stability in the Balkans are among the main priorities of the Turkish foreign policy. Umar said that Serbia has the same goals, adding that the shared interest is exactly what brought Belgrade and Ankara together, although they did not have good relations in the past few decades, particularly after the unilateral declaration of the independence of Kosovo given that Turkey was among the first to recognize it. When we recognized independence, we believed that it was inevitable. We had no choice. Maybe we could have waited a bit longer, but then we would be in the same situation again, Umar said. However, he pointed out that after the recognition of the unilateral declaration of the independence of Kosovo, Turkey was quite neutral and did not make any other moves that could bring harm to Belgrade, which the Serbian authorities highly appreciate. KOSOVO & METOHIJA BEST WAY AHEAD - FINDING PRAGMATIC SOLUTIONS FOR KOSOVO BELGRADE, March 3 (Tanjug) - Belgrade and EULEX Mission officials agreed in Belgrade that there is an urgent need for improvement of situation concerning the rule of law in the north of Kosovo-Metohija, and added that the best way ahead for the province is to find pragmatic solutions. The problems of Kosovo were discussed by EULEX Mission Chief de Kermabon, Serbian Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Bogdanovic and State Secretary in the Serbian Ministry of Justice Homen respectively, the Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija and EULEX have released. The aim of the discussion was to find functional solutions in the field of justice, police and customs, which are acceptable for all the communities. The whole spectrum of measures for building of trust was considered, and the future meetings were scheduled, especially in the field of justice, in order to define the functional solutions. Both sides agreed that the talks, which were concentrated on the improvement of the situation in the rule of law of Kosovo, were sincere, positive and constructive, the statements read. BOGDANOVIC & HOMEN: COOPERATION TO BE INTENSIFIED BELGRADE, March 3 (Tanjug) - Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanovic and State Secretary in the Serbian Ministry of Justice Slobodan Homen said that cooperation will be intensified with the EULEX mision in order to resolve problems in the relations between Serbia and EULEX and improve the living conditions of Serbs and other non-Albanians in Kosovo. After meeting EULEX chief Yves de Kermabon in Belgrade, Bogdanovic and Homen told the press that plans are underway for creating working groups to tackle the problems in the judiciary, police and customs sectors and the issue of protection of rights of Serbs in Kosovo. It is necessary for Serbs to return and regain trust in Kosovo institutions which take decisions concerning their lives, Homen said. The protection of rights of Serbs has been seriously ineffective in the past 10 years, he said. This problem was particularly intensified by the absence of true cooperation, reduction of UNMIK and takeover by EULEX, he said. Agreement was reached with De Kermabon to hold a series of technical meetings in the coming weeks to discuss specific details, he said. The talks also focused on exchange of documents, which has been at a standstill for two years, Homen said, emphasizing that without cooperation between judiciary institutions, it would be impossible to secure protection of human rights or to fight organized crime. Bogdanovic said that he and De Kermabon discussed security in Kosovo, electric power supply and other daily life problems affecting Serbs and other non-Albanians. Agreement was reached to resolve all problems in the future through compromise and dialogue to the benefit of all citizens, he said. MINISTER FOR KOSOVO CONFERS WITH UNMIK CHIEF ZANNIER BELGRADE, March 3 (Tanjug) - Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Bogdanovic conferred in Belgrade with the special representatives of UN secretary general in Kosovo Lamberto Zannier on the situation in Serbia's southern province. The talk also focused on the role of the UNMIK and on the need for compliance with Resolution 1244 in its activities. Bogdanovic and Zannier described cooperation so far as satisfactory. As regards some issues, such as that of internally displaced persons and protection of their rights, communication and coordination should be intensified, they noted, the Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija said. FRATTINI: ITALY WILL HONOR ICJ'S DECISION ON KOSOVO BELGRADE, March 4 (Tanjug) - Italy will honor the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini has stated. In an interview for Vecernje novosti, Frattini pointed out that Serbia's candidacy for the EU membership could be on the agenda already at the next Council of Ministers session. It is now up to the EC to make a complete analysis of Serbia's application for EU membership on a technical level, Frattini said, adding that he believes this should be done quickly. Italy is, if I may say so, a good advocate of Serbia's European path. But this requires 'technical time', he added. When asked if the year of 2014 is realistic for Serbia in terms of full EU membership, Frattini said that everything depends on negotiations and that it is too early to talk about this now. When it comes to Kosovo, we will continue with a very balanced approach, Frattini said. We appreciate the fact that Serbia has decided to achieve a result with legal rather than political means regarding its disapproval of Kosovo's independence. Of course, we will honor whatever the decision the Court makes, he said. DE LIMA: BELGRADE IS SENDING GOOD SIGNALS BELGRADE, March 3 (Tanjug) - Ambassador of Brazil in Belgrade Dante Coelho de Lima said that Belgrade is sending good signals, as it wishes to resume negotiations on Kosovo status. Since January 1, Brazil has been a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for a two-year term, and will cooperate closely with the Serbian delegation in New York to secure the resumption of negotiations under the aegis of the world organization, he said for weekly Ekonomist Magazine. Brazil is one of the two thirds of world countries which have not recognized the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo. Brazil's stand on the issue of Kosovo status is based on its commitment to the rule of international law and compliance with UN decisions, especially on issues under the jurisdiction of UN SC, Da Lima said. Brazil also believes that internal problems should be resolved throug negotiations, not through unilateral decisions, he said. Brazil believes that UNMIK's role in Kosovo is very important and that the UN SC Resolution 1244 should continue to be implemented, he said. As regards cooperation between Serbia and Brazil, De Lima noted that the two countries used to have very good economic cooperation until 20 years ago. The developments in the Balkans in the 1990ies made that market unstable for business, he said. Now that the situation is stabilizing, when Serbia is reviving its industrial infrastructure and preparing for integration in the European Union, it is perhaps time for Brazil to see Serbia again as a significant potential economic partner in the future, De Lima said. SERBIA – ALGERIA DINKIC: GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR SERBIAN ECONOMY ALGERIA, March 3 (Tanjug) - Deputy Prime Minister Mladjan Dinkic said that there is great interest in the Algerian market for furniture and non-structural carpentry products from Serbia, because a million apartments have been built in Algeria in the past four years and there are plans to build another million. "I was an ambassador for the Serbian economy in Algeria today and I feel that we have established good contacts. We can sell a lot of goods here, not just agricultural produce, but also products of the food industry, as well as the technology to build cold-storage facilities, silos and other logistics assets," said Dinkic, who heads the Serbian state and economic delegation. Dinkic met with several Algerian ministers during the second day of the three-day visit to that country and discussed ways to improve economic cooperation. The meetings were also attended by representatives of around 60 of the strongest companies from Serbia. Dinkic pointed out that Serbia and Algeria have traditionally had friendly mutual relations, and that the aim is for those relations to reach the level they had back in the 80s, when the trade between the two countries was at around USD 500 million. Dinkic said that an export contract involving the Serbian defence industry will be signed thanks to the efforts by Minister of Defence Sutanovac and the company SDPR. A business forum was also held on Wednesday, which gave the Serbian and Algerian companies an opportunity to discuss future cooperation. GREAT PROSPECTS FOR COOPERATION WITH ALGERIA ALGERIA, March 3 (Tanjug) - Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac said that Serbia and Algeria have great prospects for military-economic cooperation which would bring significant economic benefit to the Serbian economy in the future. Sutanovac, who in met in with Algerian Defense Minister Abdelmalek Guenaizia in Algeria, expressed his satisfaction with the fact that that the two countries are investing into a long-term friendship. Except for the meeting with Gueniazia, there were other meetings concerning military-economic cooperation which we think has a great prospects on the territory of Algeria, Sutanovac underscored. "What is important is that at the meeting, where we discussed the future cooperation between Serbia and Algeria, we were given assurance that Algeria chose Serbia as its long-term partner in the field of defense, and we think this could trigger not only a good military-economic cooperation, but also the economic cooperation as a whole," Sutanovac stressed. Sutanovac reminded that Algeria is one of Serbia's biggest partners in the field of defense in the whole North Africa region, and added that, besides a several decades' long traditional friendship, the cooperation was improved in the last two years, bearing in mind that members of Algerian military forces are educated at the Military Academy in Serbia. "A delegation headed by Minister for Economy Mladjan Dinkic held a great number of meetings, but what is most important - there is a great possibility that economic projects be realized which will bring benefit to both workers in Serbia and the whole Algeria," he underlined. The Serbian state and economic delegation, comprised of representatives of around 60 best Serbian companies, began its three-day working visit to Algeria, during which the improvement of the two countries' economic cooperation is to be discussed. SERBIA TADIC: HALF BILLION OF INVESTMENTS IN SCIENCE BELGRADE, March 4 (Tanjug) - President Boris Tadic announced that nearly half a billion euros will be invested in the development of the scientific and technological development in Serbia in the next several years. At the signing of the agreement with the EIB on a EUR 200 million investment in the scientific and technological infrastructure, Tadic stressed that this is one of the most important investments in Serbia's economic development, the important aim of which is to prevent the university educated people in Serbia from leaving the country. "The acquiring of a EUR 200 million investment represents an exceptional contribution to the development of our country and shows a different value orientation of the Serbian country," Tadic said at the ceremony held at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Tadic pointed out that the Serbian government had courage to decide to invest in a long-term development of the country through investing in science at the moment when the entire world is hit by an economic and financial tsunami. An important element of investing in the scientific development is, according to him, a stimulation for the young, talented scientists to stay in Serbia. Tadic stressed that this proves that Serbia has, for the first time in recent history, a clearly defined development strategy for an entire decade. The financial agreement on a EUR 200 million investment in the Serbian science was signed by Serbian Finance Minister Diana Dragutinovic and Vice-President of the EIB Dario Scannapieco. KRKOBABIC: U.S. AUTHORITY FOR SOLVING ISSUE OF REFUGEES BELGRADE, March 3 (Tanjug) - Deputy Prime Minister Jovan Krkobabic expressed belief, during a talk with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Robinson, that the USA will use its authority and influence in order to solve the problems of refugees and internally displaced persons more quickly and efficiently, Krkobabic's cabinet has released in a statement. During the talk it was concluded that Serbia is a country with the greatest number of refugees and internally displaced persons in Europe, and one of the five countries in the world with the status of long-term refuge which lasts more than 17 years, and that this problem can only be solved with the help of international community. Both sides agreed that it is necessary to determine the time and way of solving the issues, which will be fully supported by the USA," the statement reads, and adds that the USA will support the efforts of the EU, the OSCE, the EC and the UNHCR in finding the most optimal solutions for this long time unsolved problem. A forthcoming regional conference devoted to the problem of refugees which is to be held in Belgrade with the presence of Croatia, BiH and Montenegro will be a good opportunity for observing and solving of the problems. Krkobabic wished that good relations between Serbia and the USA continue to be improved, the statement reads, and reports that the talks were also attended by U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Mary Warlick and Serbian Commissioner for Refugees Vladimir Cucic. SERBIA & NORWAY TO COOPERATE IN FIGHTING HI-TECH CRIME OSLO/BELGRADE, March 3 (Tanjug) - Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said after meeting Norwegian officials that police cooperation fighting hi-tech crime will be intensified. Dacic conferred with Norwegian National Police Commissioner Ingelin Killengreen on cooperation between the Norwegian and Serbian police and on signing an agreement on police cooperation. An agreement on police cooperation is expected to be signed this year with Norwegian Justice and Interior ministries, Dacic said. This will include training of Serbian police officers in Norway. The Norwegian government has helped the Serbian police very much over the past ten years through various donations and programs, he said. Killengreen said that the Norwegian police shares the same priorities with Serbian colleagues, Serbian Interior Ministry said. She also expressed hope that the future agreement on police cooperation will make the already successful cooperation official. Dacic added that Norway is a leader in fighting hi-tech crime and that it can transfer experiences to the Serbian police. DACIC & NORWEGIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER MEET BELGRADE, OSLO, March 4 (Tanjug) - Deputy Prime Minister Dacic met with Norwegian parliament speaker Dag Terje Andersen in Oslo to discuss the development of political and economic relations of the two countries. "In the talks with the parliament speaker, both countries expressed the wish to continue the cooperation not only between executive powers but the two parliaments as well, so further contacts on that level can be expected soon," Dacic said. He added that friendship development groups have already been set up to help improve the cooperation between the two parliaments, the Interior Ministry released. ADMIRAL MULLEN: SERBIA IS INDISPENSABLE SECURITY FACTOR BELGRADE/WASHINGTON, March 3 (Tanjug) - Head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of US Armed Forces Admiral Mike Mullen said Wednesday meeting the Chief of the Serbian Army General Staff General Miloje Miletic that he sees Serbia as the leading country in the region and an indispensable security factor, the Serbian Army said. During the talks in the Pentagon, Mullen stressed that he was acquainted with reforms of the Serbian Army and that he supports that process. Mullen said that the US Armed Forces will continue providing support to the Serbian Army, as part of the cooperation within the Partnership of Peace Program. General Miletic also conferred with Head of the Bureau of the US National Guard General Craig McKinley and informed him of the development of Serbian armed forces reforms, the army release says. The talks also focused on the security situation in the region, especially in the Ground Safety Zone and in Kosovo-Metohija. General Miletic headed the delegation of Serbian armed forces on a five-day visit to Washington. The goal of the visit was to discuss prospects for fostering military cooperation. SERBIA – ECONOMY JAEGER: HARDEST TASKS AHEAD OF SERBIAN GOVERNMENT BELGRADE, March 3 (Tanjug) - Even though Serbia has successfully completed the third revision of the stand-by arrangement with the IMF, the value of which is EUR 2.9 billion, the Serbian government should not foster illusions that there is no hard work left, as the solving of the most difficult tasks is yet to come, Head of the IMF Mission for Serbia Albert Jaeger stated. Although the IMF mission will propose to the IMF Board to grant a new loan installment to Serbia at the end of March, in the amount of nearly EUR 350 million, Jaeger warned that the Serbian government was late with fulfilling some of the earlier assumed obligations, which particularly refers to the reduction of the number of employees in public administration. In an interview for the Bankar magazine, Jaeger said that the third revision of the arrangement will be successfully completed and the aimed fiscal deficit for 2009 was reached, which was not an easy thing to do, however, he added, the Serbian government is in for a lot of hard work. The government has an opportunity to adopt a demanding economic policy in the following year or two, which would enable Serbia to get closer to the level of the EU revenues without excessive foreign borrowings, Jaeger said. This is a difficult task, but other Eastern European countries have shown the way it can be done, he pointed out. Jaeger specified that there have been certain delays in the carrying out of the reforms for the reduction of consumption, which particularly refers to the reduction of the number of employees in public administration, adding that the IMF mission has received firm assurances from the Serbian government that the rationalization plans will be implemented by April. Jaeger pointed out that the IMF agreed with the Serbian government that the issue of freezing pensions and salaries in the public sector should be reconsidered during the next reviews, when the information on the budget revenues are more clear. SCANNAPIECO: EIB WILL CONTINUE FINANCING PROJECTS IN SERBIA BELGRADE, March 3 (Tanjug) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) approved a record of EUR 898 million in credit to Serbia in 2009 and it will continue financing projects in Serbia, especially the ones connected with small and medium-sized companies, infrastructure and energy, EIB Vice President Dario Scannapieco announced. EIB representatives told a press conference that the bank will also continue financing projects like the bypass motorway around Belgrade, hospital reconstructions and finally railway and Corridor X construction. According to the announcements, the EIB will also fund a project on solid waste disposal in cooperation with the Ministry for the National Investment Plan, with Serbian municipalities being the beneficiaries of this project. The EIB is also considering a way to help Serbia attract direct foreign investments through constructing adequate infrastructure and creating conditions for the arrival of foreign companies, EIB representatives stated. Serbia is the largest user of EIB credits in the Western Balkans since 2001, and the bank has invested some EUR 1.7 billion in the country since 2005. Scannapieco also announced that the EIB will open a regional office in Belgrade within a year, which, according to him, shows the bank's dedication to investing in the region. |