Brussels, 23/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said on Tuesday 22 November that if the European Council does not accord Serbia candidate status on 9 December it won't be “the end of the world”. “I'm hoping for good news for Serbia, but if that doesn't happen, neither will it be the end of the world. Serbia will remain committed to a European future. The process of integration with Europe is in the interests of our citizens and of the whole region”, he told the European Parliament foreign affairs committee. “No matter what the future holds for us in European integration, we'll continue to pass laws and rules to bring us into line with the acquis communautaire. The strength and credibility of our position remains to be seen. The decision on 9 December may be very good news and relaunch this dynamic”, he added. He said that accession to the European Union was not Serbia's “ultimate goal” at this stage.
Jeremic highlighted the “exceptional progress” and the “significant reforms brought about” by his country over the last two years, whether economic, or in cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or in conciliation with Kosovo - a “thorny and delicate” issue on which “much progress has been made since dialogue began”. “The dialogue is, for the first time, beginning to show results. Our commitment to this dialogue is considerable. It has to continue, even though there are many differences in the views of the parties involved. … This dialogue could very well succeed”, he added, stating that Serbia was very keen to take forward the process, though it would be foolish to think that the dialogue might “speed up accession to the EU”. (CG/transl.rt)