SETimes.comDiplomatic Diary: Czech Republic to push for Western Balkans' EU accession
18/11/2008
Croatian Foreign Minister Goran Jandrokovic was in Prague. Also in diplomatic news: Serbian Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac and French Secretary of State for Defence Jean-Marie Bockel met in Paris.
The Czech Republic pledged on Thursday (November 13th) that speeding up the Western Balkan countries' EU integration process would be one of its priorities during its six-month EU presidency, which starts on January 1st. The Czech presidency will make particular efforts to accelerate Croatia's accession, Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said after meeting with Croatian counterpart Gordan Jandrokovic in Prague.
***
Serbian Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac and French Secretary of State for Defence Jean-Marie Bockel agreed on Wednesday (November 12th) to boost military co-operation. At a meeting in Paris, the two officials discussed the possibility of training Serbian officers, cadets and "special purpose units" in France. Sutanovac said that Bockel conveyed to him that "Europe needs Serbia as much as Serbia needs Europe."
***
Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic was on a two-day official visit to the Czech Republic last week. Jeremic met with Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra, Parliament Speaker Miloslav Vlcek and the first deputy chairman of the Senate, Petr Pithart.
***
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Wednesday (November 12th) urged the EU to speed up accession talks with Turkey and to commit to supporting Ankara's bid to join the Union. He met in Izmir with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
***
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Macedonian membership in NATO and the EU would be important both to the country and the region. Turkey strongly supports Macedonia's accession to NATO, Babacan said in Ankara after meeting his Macedonian counterpart, Antonio Milososki, from November 10th through 12th.
***
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the United States on Wednesday (November 12th) to attend a meeting of the G-20 countries and hold bilateral talks. Accompanying him were Deputy Prime Minister Nazim Ekren and State Minister Mehmet Simsek.
***
Albania and Italy agreed on Monday (November 17th) to enhance co-operation in fighting organised crime and illegal trafficking. Albanian Chief Prosecutor Ina Rama and Italian national anti-mafia prosecutor Piero Grasso decided in Tirana to speed up their subordinates' exchanges of information.
(Various sources 11/11/08-18/11/08)