Belgrade, April 15, 2010

SERBIA

JEREMIC THANKS CUBA FOR SUPPORT ON KOSOVO ISSUE
BELGRADE, April 15 (Tanjug) - Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic expressed gratitude during his visit to Cuba for the support that the government in Havana offers to the territorial integrity of Serbia and the country's opposition to the unilateral proclamation of the independence of Kosovo-Metohija, the Cuban media stated. After the meeting with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, Jeremic pointed at the excellent relations between Serbia and Cuba and underscored the importance of further promotion of bilateral relations. He said that the meeting with Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Rodrigo Malmierca was an introduction for a meeting of the intergovernmental joint commission on July 6. Rodriguez thanked Serbia for the solidarity and support in the UN regarding the abolishment of economic, financial and trade sanctions that the USA imposed to Cuba, the media said. Jeremic paid a on a one-day visit to Cuba met with Cuban officials and also laid a wreath on the monument of Cuban national hero Jose Marti.

SERBIA HOLDS MOURNING DAY AFTER DEATH OF POLISH OFFICIALS
BELGRADE, April 15 (Tanjug) - Serbia will hold a day of mourning on Thursday after the death of Polish President Lech Kaczynski and a number of high state and military officials of Poland. Polish President Kaczynski and his wife Maria will be buried in the Wawel cathedral in Krakow on Sunday and President Tadic will attend the funeral, Tanjug was told in the office of the Serbian president. The daily newspapers in Serbia were published today with black-printed logos, while the TV and radio stations are broadcasting solemn music.

MPS PAY TRIBUTE TO VICTIMS OF PLANE CRASH NEAR SMOLENSK
BELGRADE, April 15 (Tanjug) - The MPs of the National Assembly have observed a minute of silence for late Polish President Lech Kaczynski and a number of high state and military officials of Poland, at the opening of the Thursday session.

POLISH EMBASSY THANKS SERBIA FOR CONDOLENCES
BELGRADE, April 14 (Beta) - The Polish Embassy in Belgrade thanked Serbian government officials, citizens and diplomats for expressing their condolences to the Polish people over the death of top state officials in last week's plane crash near Smolensk, Russia. "Every gesture of compassion, friendship and solidarity at times like these is invaluable and lessens the feeling of sorrow," the Polish Embassy said in a news release. Roman Catholic and Serbian Orthodox church priests will hold a joint memorial service for the souls of the crash victims at the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Belgrade, at 7 p.m. on April 15.

CVETKOVIC'S CONDOLENCES OVER QUAKE DEATHS IN CHINA
BELGRADE, April 14 (Beta) – PM Cvetkovic send messages of condolence to China in response to an earthquake that killed 400 people and left 10,000 injured. Cvetkovic offered his "deepest condolences" and the solidarity of the people of Serbia with the "friendly people of the PR of China."

DEJANOVIC MEETS WITH SLOVAK CONSTITUTIONAL COURT DELEGATION
BELGRADE, April 15 (Tanjug) - Serbian parliament speaker Djukic-Dejanovic met with a delegation of the Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic, Dejanovic's cabinet stated. The delegation included President of the Constitutional Court Ivetta Macejkova, Judge Marian Mohnachov and Chairman of the Administrative Board of the Supreme Court Sergej Kohut. Talks were also attended by the President of the Constitutional Court of Serbia Bosa Nenadic, Slovak Ambassador to Belgrade Igor Furdik and Slovak consul Katarina Stehlikova. The delegation talked with Dejanovic about the recent history of cooperation between the Serbian and Slovak Constitutional Court, which officially began with Nenadic's visit to the Constitutional Court in Bratislava in 2009. During the meeting, Macejkova said that the relations of these two courts and the two countries are well beyond any standard. The delegation also informed Djukic-Dejanovic of the Slovak Contitutional Court initiative for forming an association of Constitutional Courts in Slavic-speaking countries. The Serbian parliament speaker pointed out that full support will be given to such an initiative because it contributes to the promotion of Slavic languages and culture.

WARLICK, WORDSWORTH & DEGERT ON THE SITUATION IN THE SOUTH OF SERBIA
BELGRADE, April 14 (Tanjug) - Participants at the international forum on the situation in the south of Serbia agreed that full attention needs to be devoted to problems which are present in this part of the country, and pointed to the importance of further improvement in cooperation between the republic and local authorities for efficient resolution of problems troubling citizens in this part of Serbia. The US and Great Britain ambassadors to Serbia and EU and OSCE Missions chiefs said at the forum that they want to continue helping the improvement of the quality of living in Serbia's south. US Ambassador Mary Bruce Warlick said that the southern part of Serbia should be an integral part of the country, stressing that it is a very critical area. She added that further effort must be put in to strengthen local self-governments and their dialogue with the republic authorities, which is also important for improving investments and business in the three southern Serbian municipalities. British Ambassador Stephen Wordsworth said that Great Britain still wants to work on the development and prosperity in the region, as this is the precondition to stability there. He pointed to the importance of founding a national council of the Albanian national minority, which, according to him, is in the community's interest. Head of the Delegation of the EU to Serbia Vincent Degert pointed out to disparity between central and southern Serbia, which sometimes creates an atmosphere of uncertainty among people in the south. He said that many problems they face forced the people to search for a better life outside Serbia's borders after the implementation of visa liberalization. Head of OSCE Mission to Serbia Dimitrios Kypreos pointed particularly to problems in education in the Albanian language in the south, stating that language and education used to be at the root of conflicts in this part of the country in the past. Kypreos said that it is necessary to invest in the economic development of southern Serbia, to prevent migration of young people to foreign countries.

SERBS' CULTURAL CENTER IN MACEDONIA OPENS NEW PREMISES
SKOPJE, April 15 (Tanjug) - The Serbs' culture and information center in Macedonia entitled Spona (Link) officially opened its new premises in Skopje, within a comprehensive project the aim of which is to provide Serbs living in this country with information.Speaking of the project supported by the Serbian Culture Ministry, Serbian Ambassador to Macedonia Tomislav Djurin said that, with its activities and concept, the Spona center must primarely turn to the younger generations of Serbs and serve as a connection between the past, the present and a better future."By opening the new premises, we are opening the door to new possibilities for a much better cooperation in that will help realize broader social projects, meet the needs of the people, primarily those that deal with preservation and promotion of the Serbian cultural heritage, and human and minority rights in Macedonia," Spona Executive Manager Milutin Stancic said.

DEA: BIA REGIONAL LEADER IN FIGHTING ORGANIZED CRIME
BELGRADE, April 14 (Tanjug) - Director of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for Europe and Africa Russel Benson commended the successful completion of the Balkan Warrior operation against cocaine smuggling, initiated last year. He pointed to the role of the Serbian Security Information Agency (BIA) as a reliable partner and regional leader in fighting organized crime, BIA told. Benson visited BIA and conferred with its Director Sasa Vukadinovic and Serbian Prosecutor for Organized Crime Mirko Radisavljevic.

SERBIA – SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE (CoE)

TADIC & JAGLAND: CE SHOULD PLAY STATUS NEUTRAL ROLE IN KOSOVO
BELGRADE, April 14 (Tanjug) - President Tadic said the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland that he expects that the CE will continue to play a status neutral role in Kosovo- Metohija, Tadic's office said. He thanked the CE for its endeavors for protecting cultural heritage in Kosovo. The talk focused also on the improving cooperation between Serbia and the countries in the region, and - in that context - on the recent adoption of the Declaration on Srebrenica by the Serbian parliament.

CVETKOVIC & JAGLAND: CoE TO BE STATUS NEUTRAL TOWARDS KOSOVO
BELGRADE, April 14 (Tanjug) - Prime Minister Cvetkovic said the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland that he expects that the CE will remain status neutral towards the Kosovo-Metohija issue in keeping with the UN SC Resolution 1244. Serbia's cooperation with the CE has resulted in numerous reforms in the legal and institutional sectors, Cvetkovic said quoted by a release from his office. 2010 will be a very important year for the European integration process of the entire Western Balkans, Cvetkovic noted. Serbia believes that the EU will respect its endeavors for integration and that it will grant Serbia the status of candidate very soon, he said.

DJUKIC-DEJANOVIC & JAGLAND: CE IS STATUS NEUTRAL TOWARDS KOSOVO
BELGRADE, April 14 (Tanjug) - Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland said that CE will remain status neutral towards the Kosovo-Metohija issue. Meeting Serbian parliament Speaker Djukic-Dejanovic, Jagland said that the CE is active in Kosovo in the sectors of human rights, status process issues and raising standards. Serbia has done much for integration in European standards and is on the way of becoming a factor of stability in the Balkans, he said. The CE follows with great attention the political and other developments in Serbia and commends the adoption of the Declaration on Srebrenica by the Serbian parliament, Jagland said. Djukic-Dejanovic explained Serbia's stand on Kosovo-Metohija, emphasizing that Serbia is committed to resolving that issue by peaceful and diplomatic means, and that it is looking forward to the advisory opinion of the ICJ.She thanked the CE for its endeavors for protecting cultural heritage in Kosovo, and pointed to the need for its active protection of human rights in the province, where the attitude towards the non-Albanian communities is a disgrace for contemporary civilization.

JAGLAND: SERBIA MAKES GREAT PROGRESS IN EU INTEGRATION
BELGRADE, April 14 (Tanjug) - Serbia made great progress in the reforms which are important for EU integration, it has been assessed at a meeting of the parliament's delegation with Secretary General of the CoE Jagland. The cooperation between the permanent delegation of the Serbian Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is good and successful, they said. Reforms implemented in Serbia are so impressive that the CoE Committee of Ministers decided to suspend the post-accession supervision and replace it with a regular analysis carried out in all CoE member states, the parliament said. Jagland added that Serbia is an important point in the Balkans and that it has now become the factor of stability in the region. He acquainted members of the permanent delegation of the Parliament with a plan according to which the EU would as a legal entity accede to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and the work of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Implementation of this plan would put all EU countries within a single legal framework, which would provide a unified legal space for both the big and small states, Jagland stressed. Head of the permanent delegation of the Parliament Dragoljub Micunovic promised that the body will give its full support to PACE in the forthcoming reforms and stressed the importance of focusing on human rights. Serbia actively cooperates with the PACE rapporteur as regards reports on human rights in Kosovo-Metohija, Micunovic said, and thanked CoE on their neutral stance regarding the status of the province.

DACIC & JAGLAND: GREAT PROGRESS IN FIGHTING ORGANIZED CRIME
BELGRADE, April 14 (Tanjug) - Deputy PM Ivica Dacic and SecGen of the CoE Thorbjorn Jagland noted that Serbia has made great progress in fighting organized crime and corruption. It also achieved great progress in strengthening the institutions for the protection of civic, human and minority rights, they said. Jagland welcomed the start of a new phase of dialogue between Serbia and the CE, the Interior Ministry said in a release. The talk also focused on Serbia's progress in getting closer to CE standards since 2003, when it joined that organization. Serbia's future cooperation with CE institutions and bodies was also discussed.

DJELIC & JAGLAND: REFORMS IN SERBIA ARE IMPRESSIVE
BELGRADE, April 14 (Tanjug) - Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE) Thorbjorn Jagland stated that the reforms implemented in Serbia are so impressive that the COE Committee of Ministers of this organization decided to suspend the post-accession supervision and replace it with a regular analysis carried out in all COE member states. I congratulate the Serbian government on all implemented reforms which are very impressive, Jagland said after the meeting with Deputy PM Bozidar Djelic. This is why the Committee of Ministers decided that the post-accession supervision should be replaced with regular analysis, he added. Jagland pointed out that COE is prepared to continue helping Serbia in all necessary reforms, primarily in the judiciary reform and fight against organized crime. Djelic said that the COE is Serbia's important partner in the EU integration, as the EU relies on COE's assessments of the respect of human rights, rule of law, minority rights. He announced that Serbia will by June submit to the COE the new report on the compliance with the EU standards, adding that the country's intention is to redefine its relation with this organization by the end of the year. Speaking of Serbia's cooperation with the COE, he expressed his expectation that this organization will continue respecting the international law and that it will not accept Kosovo as its member since the province unilaterally declared independence.

MALOVIC & JAGLAND: COE BACKS SERBIA'S FIGHT AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME
BELGRADE, April 14 (Tanjug) - SecGen of the COE Thorbjorn Jagland offered support to Serbia's fight against organized crime and corruption in the talks with Minister of Justice Snezana Malovic and commended all activities that the Serbian authorities have carried out regarding the issues. Malovic informed Jagland on the comprehensive process of the justice system reform in Serbia and main activities that the Ministry of Justice has realized in order to fully promote the justice system in Serbia and reach the top European standards. She underscored that the EU approach is the path that Serbia has chosen, adding that Serbia is committed to the fulfillment of all preconditions of the EU accession, the Ministry of Justice released in the statement. Jagland also said that the COE could continue to offer its expert assistance regarding the area, so as to secure continuous support to the reform process.The importance of the reform of the European Court of Human Rights and implementation of its decisions was particularly underlined during the meeting. Malovic pointed out that the adoption of bills, which the Justice Ministry will propose soon, will enable full enforcement of these decisions. Malovic also informed Jagland on new conventions that are currently in the preparation process and which will be ratified by Serbia in the forthcoming period.

SERBIA – EU

DJELIC ON SERBIA'S EU INTEGRATION
BELGRADE, April 15 (Tanjug) -Deputy PM Djelic has stated that the ratification of the SAA will begin in June, adding that it is unlikely that the Spanish EU Presidency will also be able to include Belgrade's application for candidacy in the agenda of the EU Council of Ministers. In an interview for Vecernje novosti Djelic said that he believes that it is more likely that Serbia will obtain the EU candidate status in June 2011. He said that there is still no consensus within the EU for Serbia's candidacy to be forwarded to the EC. Djelic stressed that every year spent outside the EU, Serbia loses between two and three billion euros of non-returnable funds. "That is the amount we would receive annually as a EU member state. Now we receive EUR 200 million," Djelic said. "There is no dillemma regarding our country's border - it includes Kosovo as its integral part. Of course, this implies compliance with the Res 1244," he pointed out."The positions of five EU countries which did not recognize Kosovo will not change," Djelic added.Djelic said that new negotiations between Belgrade and interim institutions of self-goverment in Pristina are "absolutely possible," as he believes that "Europe is becoming more aware of the problem in Kosovo, particularly the problem with crime, and the fact that the only sustainable solution for Kosovo is the one acceptable for Belgrade."

DELEVIC: KIM CANNOT BE CRITERIA FOR EU MEMBERSHIP
BELGRADE, April 15 (Tanjug) - Director of the European Integration Office Milica Delevic stated that the issue of Kosovo-Metohija (KiM) cannot be included in the list of defined criteria for Serbia's progress in the EU integration. However, this issue can contribute in various ways to putting Serbia in a certain political context, both within the country and within the EU, Delevic said for B92. The Kosovo issue polarizes the EU member states, nevertheless, it cannot appear on the list of already defined EU accession criteria, she stressed. Commenting on the statement of EU Commissioner Stefan Fule that there is no connection between the solving of the issue of Belgrade-Pristina relations and Serbia's EU integration, Delevic said that this is a factual situation in the EU integration process.

FRANCE SUPPORTS SERBIA'S EU INTEGRATION
BELGRADE, April 14 (Tanjug) - France supports Serbia's integration in the EU as soon as possible in the interest of both Serbia's and regional stability, visiting French parliamentarians said in Novi Sad Vojvodina Premier Bojan Pajtic. Pajtic and a delegation of the French Senate France-Western Balkan friendship group headed by Jean Pierre Michel noted that cooperation between Vojvodina as a European region and some of France's regions would help foster the friendship between the two countries. They pointed to deep historic ties and friendship which should help foster the relations between the two countries at present too. Pajtic briefed the French Senate delegation on the situation in the province. The adoption of the new Vojvodina Statute and of the law on its prerogatives has paved the way for attracting more foreign investments, he said. Novi Sad Mayor Igor Pavlicic conferred with the visiting French delegation headed by Senators of Haute Saone Jean Pierre Michel and of Loire-Atlantique Monique Papon, and French Ambassador Terral. They expressed conviction that bilateral cooperation can be fostered, the mayor's office said in a release.

PROJECT DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN POLICE COOPERATION IN BALKANS
VIENNA, April 14 (Tanjug) - Austrian Interior Minister Maria Fekter said in Vienna, opening a seminar on strengthening police cooperation in the Western Balkans, that the new regional police cooperation project was designed to pull the rug out from under terrorist and mafia organizations. The DET ILECUS II project was set up to strengthen police cooperation in the Western Balkans and it encompasses cooperation in the fight against organized crime, especially drug trafficking, and terrorism prevention. The 30-month project is being conducted by Germany and Austria in cooperation with the EC. According to Fekter, the project envisages strategic and operational cooperation with Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey, as well as the development of communication networks. The second pillar of the project are information exchange, analysis and terrorism prevention, with a focus on the fight against financial crime and narcotics trade, she explained. Europol, Interpol, Eurojust and the European Anti-Fraud Agency OLAF support the project. Mladen Spasic, an advisor to Dacic, is taking part in the Vienna seminar.

SERBIA – REGION

FUELE: REGIONAL COOPERATION CRUCIAL FOR EU INTEGRATION
SARAJEVO, April 14 (Beta) -In an interview carried by a publication of the Sarajevo based Regional Cooperation Council, EU Commissioner Stefan Fuele said the Western Balkan countries should pursue reform and underlined the importance of regional cooperation in the process of EU integration.He stressed that the EU will fulfill its obligations, adding that each country will progress on its own merits and according to the pace of reforms. "There are no shortcuts, but no further goalposts either," Fuele noted, adding: "The better the countries of the region are prepared for accession, the more governments and public opinion in our member countries will support enlargement. Enlargement may very well be a part of the solution to the current economic and financial downturn. We need to build not only a bigger EU, but a stronger one." Fuele went on to say that "the Western Balkans & Turkey still have substantial work ahead of them in meeting the established criteria and conditions. Challenges include the rule of law, sustainable economic development and enhancing their administrative capacity."The commissioner also described regional cooperation as crucial for EU integration, but also for dealing with the past: "The Western Balkan region has a lost of historic baggage that needs overcoming, dealing with. Regional cooperation is the answer," Fuele concluded.

U.S. SENAT COMMITTEE DISCUSSES WESTERN BALKANS
WASHINGTON, April1 5 (Tanjug) - The Western Balkans is speedily heading towards the EU integration regardless of its unfinished business, it was stated at the hearing before the U.S. Senat Committee on Foreign Affairs, with the remark that the disagreement between Serbia and the U.S. on Kosovo issue does not jeopardize Belgrade's EU aspirations. The dream of a united Europe will not be a reality without Serbia, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen has stated, while opening a hearing entitled Unfinished business in Southeast Europe: Opportunities and Challenges in the Western Balkans. The diagreement on northern Kosovo should not hinder the EU integration perspective. When the ICJ gives its opinion on the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo, foundations should be laid for a creative, pragmatic and sustainable solution between Kosovo and Serbia, Shaheen said. U.S. Senator George Voinovich pointed to a significant progress of the region, adding that there are yet more challenges, one of which is the intense situation in northern Kosovo. Shaheen and Voinovich, who visited the Western Balkans in February as part of the U.S. Congress delegation, stated their extremely favourable impressions from the visit.

SERBIA – ECONOMY

DJUKIC-DEJANOVIC: CORRIDOR 10 TO CREATE 100,000 JOBS
DIMTROVGRAD, April 14 (Tanjug) - Serbian parliament speaker Djukic Dejanovic opened the works on the Dimitrovgrad beltway, located near the border with Bulgaria and part of the Corridor 10 highway project, pointing out that the highway will create work for around 100,000 people. Infrastructure projects are the hope for a better future for Serbia, Djukic Dejanovic said opening the site. Infrastructure Minister Mrkonjic was also in attendance. World Bank Regional Coordinator Jane Armitage, who was also present, said that the completion of Corridor 10 will help the Serbian economy by raising employment and bringing great profit to businesses. Member of the Management Board of Public Enterprise Koridor 10 Nenad Ivanisevic announced that tenders for the Corridor 10 sections from Dimtrovgrad to Pirot will be published early in May and that work should start in the summer. The tender for the construction of the Dimitrovgrad beltway and the highway to the Bulgarian border is two-part - a 5.8 km section of road, including the loop, and seven bridges 20 to 500 m in length.

NIELSEN: SERBIA CAN RAISE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
BELGRADE, April 14 (Tanjug) - Serbia is among the countries with the highest energy consumption and it can improve without major spending by implementing appropriate technologies, Danish Ambassador Mette Kjuel Nielsen said. Taking part in the conference dubbed Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Construction in Serbia - Current Situation and Outlook, she said that Serbia uses energy inefficiently and has one of the highest rates of energy consumption per unit of GDP. The Danish ambassador assessed that the fact that Serbia is holding an energy efficiency conference as part of the International Building Trade Fair clearly signals that the country is willing to turn to energy efficiency. She pointed out that raising awereness and changing individual behavior is key to a more efficient use of energy. According to her, Demark is a world leader in energy efficiency and clean energy and has made significant advances in the field without additional spending, which makes it very experienced in the matter. The three-day symposium on energy efficiency and sustainable construction, held as part of the Building Trade Fair, will welcome experts from Serbia and abroad and representatives of ministries, companies, institutions and the diplomatic corps.

KOLL: ISRAEL'S SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN SERBIA
NOVI SAD, April 15 (Tanjug) - Israeli Ambassador to Serbia Arthur Koll stated in Novi Sad that his country is making significant investments in Serbia and expressed his belief that the economic cooperation between the two countries will be even greater when the global economic crisis ends. I cannot specify the amount of the investments made, but they are certainly considerable, particularly taken into account that they come from a small country, Koll said. These investments are all the more significant because they refer not only to one area, but rather several of them, he told the reporters after the meeting with Novi Sad Mayor Pavlicic and the representatives of local self-governments and companies from Vojvodina. Political relations between Israel and Serbia are very good, and these preconditions are not sufficiently used in the economic sphere. I am convinced that the investments of Israeli companies in Serbia will increase, Koll stressed.

KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

INTEGRATION OF NORTHERN KOSOVO UNACCEPTABLE
KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, April 14 (Tanjug) - Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanovic said in Kosovska Mitrovica that any integration of the northern part of the province into Kosovo institutions is unacceptable. Commenting on the statement made by U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Christopher Dell that Kosovo's status is final and that Serbia and Kosovo can only discuss technical issues as neighbors, Bogdanovic stressed that Belgrade does not consider the matter resolved. "As far as Belgrade and the Serbs in Kosovo are concerned, we are aware that we cannot solve problems on our own, that we need to talk to the ethnic Albanians. But we do not consider Kosovo's status a done deal. We will reopen the process and attempt to finally settle Kosovo's status," he said and added that the Albanians got everything, while the Serbs lost everything. According to him, the newly opened "EU office in northern Kosovo, which some people tried to abuse, is meant to establish European values and standards in northern Kosovo and is not an attempt at integration." "We want compromise and dialogue. We want to sit down at the negotiating table and solve problems in a peaceful, constructive and pragmatic manner," he pointed out.He added that Serbia is firmly against integration of Serb communities because the conditions have not been created.

FEITH: INDEPENDENCE FACING CRITICAL CHALLENGES
PRISTINA, April 14 (Tanjug) - The viability of the Kosovo independence project is now coming to a critical test, and a lot will depend on the ruling of the International Court of Justice, the International Civil Representative in Kosovo Pieter Feith said. Speaking at Dublin's Institute of International and European Affairs, Feith expressed hope that the ruling will at least be balanced, and have so many positive elements in it, that Kosovo can obtain further recognition and better access to international organizations, which can help overall socio-economic development. Kosovo's government should follow words with deeds to show it is committed to tackling high-level corruption, Feith added.

AGREEMENT SIGNED IN BERLIN ON RETURN OF REFUGEES TO KOSOVO
BERLIN, April 15 (Tanjug) - German Minister of Interior Thomas de Maiziere and representative of the interim government in Kosovo Bajram Redzepi signed in Berlin an agreement on the return of refugees to the province and cooperation in the security sector. Maiziere said that Germany has no plans concerning mass deportation of these people, the Ministry of Interior stated, referring to the data which show that 14,000 people under obligation to return to their homes in Kosovo are currently living in Germany. De Maiziere pointed out that Germany will continue to adhere to the policy of gradual return.

MACEDONIA & KOSOVO ESTABLISH COOPERATION IN DEFENSE
SKOPJE, April 14 (Beta) - Kosovo Security Forces head Fehmi Mujota and Macedonian Defense Minister Zoran Konjanovski signed a memorandum of cooperation and defense in Skopje.The memorandum envisages the joint training of security forces and cooperation in defense policy, reform and military health care. Mujota said the memorandum is very important, as it shows that Macedonia and Kosovo are working together on regional stability on their common path to the EU. "The security situation in the region is good and regional cooperation is growing. Kosovo is building its security forces with that aim and we believe our neighbor Serbia will accept that to the benefit of the region," Mujota said. Konjanovski called the agreement very important for both the two signatories and the region, adding that Macedonia wants to help "its neighbor, the Republic of Kosovo, in order to boost the development of democratic institutions."