BELGRADE, Jan 26 (Tanjug) – Serbian Deputy Prime Minister for European Integrations Bozidar Djelic has stated that Serbia’s relations with the region will be the main topic of today’s political dialogue between Serbia and the European Union in Brussels, but that Serbia’s candidacy for the EU will also be discussed.

"It is certain that it may not be included in the agenda of the council of ministers before March because the European Commission has yet to be constituted after the withdrawal of Bulgaria’s commissioner candidate. It will take place in mid-February," Djelic said in a statement with B92.

"On the other side, I have to say that the number of countries that currently believe that it would be better to wait until after the agreement ratification procedure scheduled for June is not small, but it is up to us to have our candidacy included in the agenda in spring," said Djelic. He also said that if that happens, Serbia has an opportunity to fill out a questionnaire by summer and to catch the train for acquiring the status of a candidate country by the end of the year.

BELGRADE, Jan 26 (Tanjug) – The EU-Serbia meeting in Brussels on Tuesday will be a political dialogue rather than a formal meeting and it is difficult to say whether the decision will be made on the date of bringing Serbia’s application for candidacy status before the Council of Ministers, said Inigo De Palacio Espana, Spanish Ambassador to Serbia, whose country is currently holding the EU Presidency.

In an interview for the Belgrade-based daily Vecernje novosti, Espana said that Spain does not believe that the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo is compatible with the international law, adding that it is clear that it is in accordance neither with the Serbian Constitution nor with the Resolution 1244. I have carefully observed the oral debate and I believe that it will be very difficult for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to clearly decide that the declaration is legal, he added. ICJ judges often have a different view on certain issues than what the final official stand of the Court, Espana said. But if you are unable to say that the declaration is legal, it means that there are serious doubts about its legality.

We expect for the advice to be the instrument which will lead to a dialogue in order to find a sustainable solution and reach an agreement between Pristina and Belgrade, he stressed. As for Greece’s proposal on including the West Balkans in the EU by 2014, Espana stated that it may be overambitious, adding that it is true that it is difficult to talk dates in the EU, since the fulfilling of requested standards varies from one state to another. However, Spain supports the plan as a reference point, but we should not forget that we still have plenty of work ahead in expanding towards the western Balkans, Espana underscored.

BELGRADE, Jan 26 (Tanjug) - The Provisional Trade Agreement between Serbia and the European Union will officially go into effect on February 1, although it has been implemented since December 8, 2009, it was said at a Monday expert meeting on effects of a mutual implementation of the Provisional Agreement held at the Chamber of Commerce of Belgrade.

Deputy Director of the government Office for accession in the EU Srdjan Majstorovic said that representatives of the Serbian government and European Commission for implementation of the agreement will hold a meeting in Belgrade in March, while a positive evaluation will speed up the receipt of a questionnaire for the EU membership. He also recalled that duties will be abolished this year for 58% of industrial products, while the same will apply to 10% of the products in 2011, another 20% in 2013, while in 2014 duties for the most sensitive products will be abolished.

PODGORICA, Jan 26 (Tanjug) - Serbian President Boris Tadic stated Tuesday that relations between Serbia and Montenegro are worse than before and assessed that it is important to do everything for them to improve in an accelerated and jointly planned process. "Serbia is ready to turn a new page in relations with Montenegro, which implies the honoring of state interests of both countries," Tadic said in an interview for the Podgorica-based daily Dan.

Tadic announced that he will visit Podgorica when he receives the official invitation of his Montenegrin counterpart Filip Vujanovic. He stressed that Serbia will not deny hospitality to newly appointed Montenegrin Ambassador in Belgrade Igor Jovovic because of Podgorica's decision to establish diplomatic relations with Pristina, adding that this would not be the adequate measure at the moment. Tadic pointed out that "the relation with Kosovo-Metohija has undoubtedly increased the differences in official policies of Belgrade and Podgorica."

"The recognition of Kosovo and establishing of diplomatic relations with Pristina at the time which is of particular political significance for Serbia is partly the attempt of Montenegro and certain international factors to relativize the proceedings that Serbia has instituted before the International Court of Justice (ICJ)," Tadic stressed. He said that those two Podgorica's political moves do not contribute to the improvement of relations with Serbia, adding that Serbia will not make relations with Montenegro even more difficult as it is not in the country's or in the region's best interest. However, Serbia must make it clear what is acceptable for it and what is not, Tadic said, underscoring that no one in Montenegro should think that Serbia is indifferent towards the issue of preserving its own integrity in Kosovo.

BELGRADE, Jan 26 (Tanjug) - Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic assessed that the statement made by Serbian President Boris Tadic, expressing his support for the integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina, was "very positively" received in the US.

Djukanovic, who met with US Vice President Joseph Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during his visit to Washington last week, said that "the reactions to Tadic's statement were very positive from both US and Montenegrin officials." "I conveyed what I learned in previous meetings with the Serbian president, when he was categorical that it is not instability but a unified BiH that is in Serbia's best interest," Djukanovic said in an interview for the Belgrade daily Danas.

"Tadic recently took a very clear stand on the idea of a referendum in Republika Srpska, which I see as very encouraging. I was told in Washington that the US fully supports such a position," the Montenegrin prime minister said.

BELGRADE, Jan 25 (Tanjug) - Representatives of the Serbian parliament foreign affairs committee and of the group for friendship with Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) parliament conferred Monday with a delegation of BiH Parliamentary Assembly to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which is paying a three-day visit to Belgrade.

Serbian parliament Deputy Speaker Gordana Comic said at the meeting that regional cooperation is one of Serbia's foreign policy priorities and that the parliament is endeavoring through parliamentary diplomacy to resolve open issues among the countries in the region, inherited from the nineties. The Serbian parliament is ready to help the Bosnia-Herzegovina Parliamentary Assembly to pass laws on visa liberalization, she said.

MP in the Bosnia-Herzegovina House of Representatives Drago Kalabic said that BiH and Serbia share the same goals, including integration in the European Union, economic development and fighting organized crime, the parliament press service said.

PODGORICA, Jan 25 (Tanjug) - Bosnia-Herzegovina Foreign Minister Sven Alkalaj said Monday in Podgorica that by adopting a resolution on Srebrenica, Serbia would take a great step for the region. Alkalaj, who is on a official visit to Montenegro, told the press that what Serbia intends to do will be a great and important step for the region. Unfortunately, there is no consensus in the Bosnia-Herzegovina parliament on adopting a resolution on Srebrenica, he said.

Referring to announcements by the international community that Serbia and Montenegro might be involved in resolving problems in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Alkalaj said that any good intention would be welcome. As a signatory of the Dayton Accord, Serbia can contribute to stability in Bosnia-Herzegovina, he said, expressing hope that it will do so.

Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina have the friendliest relations and Bosnia-Herzegovina has no doubts regarding Montenegro's good intentions, he said. Montenegrin Foreign Minister Milan Rocen said that Montenegro wants to be a model for contributing to regional stability. Asked when Montenegro and Kosovo will demarcate their border, he said that the goal of every state is to define the borders with its neighbors. This takes time, he said.

NEW YORK, Jan 26 (Tanjug) - Croatia has sent a letter to the UN Security Council (SC) expressing regret that Serbian President Boris Tadic used the debate on the situation in Kosovo-Metohija for an unfounded response to the informal statement of Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on possible consequences of disintegration of Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH), Croatian agency Hina reported Tuesday.

Referring to the diplomatic sources in SC, the agency stated that Croatia's permanent mission to the UN in New York submitted the letter to China's Ambassador, who is SC Chairman in January, so that it would be distributed to the SC and UN member states. In accordance with the instructions of Croatian authorities, the letter warns that the Serbian president, during the UN SC session on Kosovo on January 22, delivered an unfounded response to the statement of Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on possible consequences of the disintegration of neighboring BiH, made in the informal talk during the new year's press conference.

Namely, Mesic has recently stated that, if Republika Srpska Prime Minister Milorad Dodik annulled the Dayton Agreement by calling a referendum, he would immediately send the Croatian Army which would disable the RS by blocking the corridor near Brcko.

At the UN SC session last Friday, Tadic severely condemned the recent Mesic's statement as being "dangerous and warmongering." "We severely condemn the dangerous and warmongering statement and calling for war of president Stjepan Mesic. There is no excuse for threatening to use force against BiH or any other West Balkan country," Tadic stressed. Serbia categorically rejects those provocations and expects all other responsible entities to do the same, Tadic underscored.

BELGRADE, Jan 25 (Tanjug) – Serbian Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac stated Monday that the strategic document – the defence doctrine does not define Serbia’s approach to NATO but strengthening of relations with member states of the Partnership for Peace (PfP) program. Sutanovc told journalists that the defence doctrine is ready and will be signed Monday and then filed to Serbian President Boris Tadic.

The document does not define NATO accession but the factual aspect – strengthening of relations with all partners within PfP, Sutanovac said at the ceremony on the occasion of the celebration of the day of the newspaper center Odbrana (Defence). He recalled that practically all countries in the north hemisphere are PfP members, adding that we will continue to work on interoperability (harmonization of the defence systems) with those countries and armies. The defence doctrine is a set of stands concerning organization, preparation, use and security of the Military of Serbia. The stands in the doctrine are formulated based on the assessment of development of geopolitical, social, military-security, science-technological and other processes that determine military operation.

BELGRADE, Jan 26 (Tanjug) – On the way towards its EU membership, the experience of neighboring countries in open issues of reform and improvement of education is significant for Serbia, Serbian Education Minister Zarko Obradovic stated Monday evening at the opening of the two-day conference of education ministers of West Balkan countries, which is underway in Belgrade.

The conference entitled ‘Teacher skills in different democratic societies – comparative development analysis in the Western Balkan countries’ has gathered ministers and representatives of education ministries of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Albania and Switzerland. Obradovic presented the guests with the activities of the Serbian Education Ministry from the projects of the Pre-Accession Fund, the Tempus project and other programmes in cooperation with international organizations and expressed his expectation that the two-day conference in Belgrade will help everyone in further reform of the educational system. The participants were also greeted by Director of Education and the languages of the Council of Europe (CoE) Olof Olafsdottir, who expressed hope that the CoE will give its contribution to resolving all issues related to education. Swiss Ambassador to Serbia Erwin Helmut Hofer pointed out that his country strongly supports all regional projects. The conference is being organized by the Serbian Education Ministry in cooperation with the CoE and with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

BELGRADE, Jan 25 (Tanjug) – Serbian parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic said Monday meeting a Finnish Parliament delegation that the Serbian parliament in its present composition has adopted 298 laws and 96 other documents, including many harmonizing Serbia’s legislation with European laws.

One of the priorities is strengthening the supervising role of the Serbian parliament, she said quoted by a release of the parliament press service. The Serbian parliament is doing everything to improve the position of minorities through implementation of the law banning discrimination and of national and international regulations on minority rights, she said. Chairman of the Parliament of Finland Grand Committee Erkki Tuomioja said that the Finnish Parliament will transfer its experiences to Serbia and help it become a European Union member as soon as possible, the release says.

POZAREVAC, Jan 25 (Tanjug) – Greek Ambassador to Serbia Dimosthenis Stoidis on Monday visited Pozarevac, where he discussed with his hosts further promotion of cooperation between the region and Greece. It was said in Pozarevac that the aim of his visit was to expand the already close relations between the two peoples and to set up an environment for Greek investments in the region of eight municipalities of the Branicevo district. Pozarevac has a very good cooperation with Greek regions of Thessaloniki. Beside cultural and sports cooperation, it will expand to economic relations, the Greek ambassador said.

BELGRADE, Jan 25 (Tanjug) - Australia and Serbia have traditionally good relations, which will continue to develop further, but a lot more could be done regarding economic cooperation, Australian Ambassador to Serbia Clare Birgin has told Tanjug.

Certain aspects of the two countries' relations are not so well known, and one of them is the fact that Serbia and Australia fought together in some past wars, Birgin said ahead of Australia Day, an Australian national holiday celebrated on January 26. Australia finds it very important that it has a very active Serb community within the country, whose distinguished members make great contributions to the Australian society in many areas of life, particularly in sport," Birgin noted. However, she feels that the cooperation between the two countries should be particularly improved when it comes to educational exchange, which would lead to increased trade, improved economic cooperation and people learning about various opportunities open to them.

In terms of economic cooperation, Birgin thinks that it is underdeveloped, and that a lot more could be done to improve it, especially by improving the export of services, which would then stimulate other sectors.

BELGRADE, Jan 25 (Tanjug) - German companies want to invest even more in Serbia, the Serbian government told the press on Monday after a meeting between Serbia's Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and a German business delegation. Cvetkovic stated that the meeting was held at the right moment, at the end of the economic crisis, when Serbia needs fresh capital for its development.

"The companies that are part of the delegation visiting Belgrade right now have a turnover of EUR 300 billion," Cvetkovic said. Cvetkovic met with 18 German companies to discuss economic cooperation and especially investments in the Serbian economy. The delegation gathers some of Germany's largest companies in the fields of energy, automotive industry, telecommunications, aviation industry, construction, information technology and trade. Speaking about potential investments in EPS and Telekom, the national power and telecommunication companies respectively, Cvetkovic said that particular projects will be discussed with the ministries in charge of those fields.

Chairman of the Committee for Eastern European Economic Relations Klaus Mangold said that Serbia is very competitive internationally, pointing out that there are some areas of business cooperation that Germany is interested in, like the agriculture, food industry, telecommunications and energy. There is also the automotive industry, in which three German companies have already built their positions in Serbia, Mangold added. He stated that there are no administrative obstacles for investors in Serbia that cannot be overcome through constructive dialogue.

BELGRADE, Jan 26 (Tanjug) - Serbian President Boris Tadic on Monday met with representatives of the business association Committee of the German Economy for East, who informed him that German companies are very much interested in South East European markets, particularly in that of Serbia.

Tadic underscored that Serbia is interested in intensifying economic ties with Germany, recalling that the country is the second biggest importer of Serbia's products and the fourth biggest investor in Serbia, it was underlined in a statement released by the press service of the Serbian president. The Serbian president expressed his hope that the meetings Germany's businessmen will have with Serbia's businessmen and government representatives lead to an increase of the invested German capital in Serbia.

The German delegation included representatives of 18 companies, including Metro, Leoni and RWE, which had signed a memorandum of understanding with Serbia's electricity producer Elektroprivreda Srbije several months ago. The statement also read that representatives of Volkswagen, Deutsche Telekom, Deutsche Bank and BASF were also part of the delegation.

BELGRADE, Jan 25 (Tanjug) - Serbia's Minister of Economy and Regional Development Mladjan Dinkic said Monday he was pleased with the outcome of the meeting with representatives from large German companies, implying that there will be more information about some big investments in the coming months.

"These are companies with an annual turnover of more than EUR 300 billion, which is 10 times more than Serbia's annual GDP," Dinkic told the press, adding that it has been the largest ever German business delegation to Serbia. Dinkic stated that German companies are interested to invest more in Serbia now that the country has applied for EU membership. Dinkic met with representatives from 18 German companies, including Volkswagen, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Telekom, SAP and OBI, about improving economic cooperation, especially when it comes to investing in Serbia's economy.

"There is going to be some big investments there, megainvestments if may say so, but some medium-sized companies will also invest in Serbia, and we will try to create a suitable environment for German or any other country's investments to come to Serbia," Dinkic concluded.

BELGRADE, Jan 25 (Tanjug) - The strategy of chief of the International Civilian Office in Kosovo Pieter Feith, that Tanjug had an insight into on Monday, envisages the support of the international community to the direct relation between Serbia's European perspective and the decrease of Belgrade's support to the parallel structures in the north of the province.

The draft plan was composed together with the temporary government in Pristina and created as part of the decentralization process in Kosovo-Metohija aimed at taking control over the north part of Kosovo, the document says. This should be carried out via a solution that would preserve Belgrade's dignity and reduce and finally cut the support to the parallel structures simultaneously approaching Serbia to the EU, Feith's draft document reads. According to the document, Belgrade should also be forced to stop discouraging Serbs in Kosovo from voting in the elections run by Pristina.

The authors of the document believe that the forthcoming decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality of the proclamation of Kosovo's independence will be ambiguous and that after it, Belgrade will inevitably change its Kosovo-related policy one way or another. EULEX should increase its visibility and presence in the north and open an office. Moreover, efforts in view of fight against the network of organized crime in the north should be intensified and the operation of the court in North Mitrovica improved, the document reads.

The draft strategy of the Kosovo government and Pieter Feith envisages the opening of the local office in Bosniak Mahala on February 9, 2010 and the establishing of the first advisory council in the north municipalities on March 30, 2010. The possible period for the forming of the new municipality of Northern Mitrovica that is mentioned most often is autumn.

BELGRADE, Jan 25 (Tanjug) - Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac said Monday that no imposed solution can be welcome. He was referring to the plan for integration of the northern part of Kosovo in Kosovo institutions, which has been announced by head of International Civilian Office Peter Feith.

The situation is quite risky and all decision makers should contribute to stabilizing relations in Kosovo-Metohija rather that create tensions, he told the press. Sutanovac expressed hope that there will be no escalation of violence and his conviction that peacekeepers in Kosovo-Metohija will do everything to prevent it. Any imposed solution excluding the non-Albanian population from the decision making system would be unwelcome and would not be conducive to stabilizing relations in Kosovo, Sutanovac emphasized. He also expressed hope that decision makers would bear in mind to what extent the Serb community rejects any imposed solution and that such a solution cannot become reality.

BELGRADE, Jan 26 (Tanjug) - Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanovic said late on Monday that Belgrade will never accept closing down of Serbian institutions not only in the north of Kosovo but in all parts of Kosovo and Metohija where Serbs live. In a live broadcast by the RTS, Bogdanovic evaluated that the plan drawn up by the international office headed by Peter Feith and the so-called government of Kosovo is nothing else but Martti Ahtisaari's plan, under which the so-called government will rule in the north of Kosovo.

Bogdanovic said that Belgrade is prepared to discuss everything in a constructive and pragmatic way, but that it is not ready to discuss abolition of the Serb institutions, which help preserve the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, not only in its north but also in the area south of the Ibar River. He also said that there is no communication with Feith, that he does not represent the European Union in Kosovo and Metohija but the countries which had recognized Kosovo's independence and that "his rhetoric addressed to Serbs and strengthening of the independence give us the right not to communicate with him."

PRISTINA, Jan 25 (Tanjug) - UNMIK spokesman Russell Geekie said Monday that the UN mission played no role in preparing a strategy for northern Kosovo and was not consulted on the issue.

The strategy for northern Kosovo's integration into Kosovo's institutions drafted by the head of International Civilian Office Peter Feith involves international community support in direct linking of Serbia's European perspective with reducing its support to parallel structures in the north of the province. The draft strategy was not presented to UNMIK and it has taken no stand in this regard, Geekie said.

The document was drafted by the head of International Civilian Office Peter Feith and the interim government in Pristina, and was conceived as part of the decentralization process in Kosovo-Metohija. Its goal as also takeover of control over northern Kosovska Mitrovica. This should be done in a way that would allow Belgrade to save face, and make it finally halt its support to parallel structures along with getting closer to integration in the European Union, Feith's document says.

PRISTINA, Jan 25 (Tanjug) - EULEX Spokesperson Karin Limdal said Monday that the draft strategy for northern Kosovo created by the Kosovo authorities and International Civilian Office (ICO) is not the strategy of the EU, but added that the EULEX mandate is to support Kosovo institutions in establishing the rule of law throughout Kosovo, including the north.

It is not the EU strategy, although EULEX was one of the partners consulted on the issue, Limdal told Tanjug, adding however that it is in the interest of EULEX for the rule of law and a functional court system to be established in northern Kosovo. EULEX does not acknowledge or assist the so called parallel structures in Kosovo. That was stated in the Joint Action document adopted by all 27 countries of the EU. Strong, fair and multiethnic judicial institutions are the only option for all citizens, Limdal noted. She added that it is therefore irrelevant whether EULEX supports the joint Kosovo government and ICO strategy.

EULEX expressed concerns last week about Serbian government plans in Kosovo regarding the justice system, because it believes that there cannot be two functional judicial systems at the same place and at the same time, since there would be no justice with two jurisdictions, which would instead create conflicting decisions that would go against the rights of the population, Limdal remarked. According to her, progress in northern Kosovo can only be achieved through dialogue and one step at a time.

ICO Head Peter Feith's strategy for northern Kosovo requires support from the international community, which would condition Serbia's EU integration process by demanding that Belgrade reduce its support for Serb institutions in the north of Kosovo. The document was put together by Feith and the provisional government in Pristina, and it is supposed to be part of the decentralization process in Kosovo, with the aim of taking control over the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica.

PRISTINA, Jan 26 (Tanjug) - The representatives of (interim) Kosovo institutions and the European Commission will begin talks in Pristina this week on the visa liberalization for Kosovo citizens, reported the media in Pristina.

The Kosovo Interior Ministry announced that the talks should get underway on January 27, when a meeting with the European Commission visa experts is scheduled. The first meeting is expected to last three days.

Spokesperson for the Interior Ministry Fisnik Redzepi said that the meeting marks the beginning of the visa liberalization dialogue, and that the agenda and the criteria for visa abolishment will be presented. The European Commission has not given any instructions for the liberalization of the visa regime for Kosovo, and the main obstacles are its unresolved status and the fact that five EU countries do not recognize its independence.

PRISTINA, Jan 26 (Tanjug) - The interim Kosovo government and the International Civilian Office (ICO) will allocate around EUR 4 million for the implementation of the strategy for northern Kosovo. The interim Kosovo government and ICO, in addition to finalizing the strategy for northern Kosovo, are cooperating on the division of a fund which will help implement the strategy on the ground, Pristina daily Koha Ditore reports. High government officials confirmed for the paper that the fund, which will be used to promote "the benefits of cooperation with Pristina" in the north, will total around EUR 4 million.

Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Hajredin Kuci said that the Kosovo budget will not be the only source of financing for the strategy. We will propose a separate fund, and in addition to donors, we will also give our contribution, Kuci said but refused to discuss the size of the fund.

Koha Ditore reports that the preparation of the so-called strategy for northern Kosovo is nearly completed, and that it is expected that the final document, together with the financial report for its implementation, will be presented to the member countries of the international executive board at a meeting in Vienna on February 8. The board is composed of countries that have recognized Kosovo's independence and that are sponsoring the ICO, which is run by Peter Feiht. ICO officials refused to discuss specific figures for the strategy implementation fund. The goal of the strategy, Koha Ditore reports, is to bring changes on three key points - modifying the way in which the north of Kosovo is viewed, strengthening policy, because force is not the solution, and providing an incentive for Serbs' cooperation.

MINSK, Jan 26 (Tanjug) - The charitable exhibition of photos of Kosovo dubbed Soul of Serbia by renown Serbian author Darko Dozet was opened in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, on Monday evening.

Forty-five photos will be exhibited displaying the life of people in enclaves, razed monasteries and houses, destroyed tombstones and frescoes... The opening address was delivered by member of the Serbian center Predrag Franic who spoke about the tragedy of the Serbian people in Kosovo-Metohija.