SETimes.comDiplomatic Diary: Serbia's Tadic meets with Pope
17/11/2009
Serbian President Boris Tadic visits Italy. Also in diplomatic news: Croatia vows to continue supporting Macedonia's integration efforts, and Romania and Moldova aim to re-establish ties.
Serbian President Boris Tadic said on Saturday (November 14th) that he has received Vatican support for Belgrade's EU integration and Serbia's integrity and sovereignty over Kosovo. His comment followed talks with Pope Benedict XVI. Tadic added that he and the Pope agreed that the EU integration of the Western Balkans by 2014 is realistic.
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Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Sunday (November 15th) that his country looks with optimism at Spain's upcoming EU presidency, which begins on January 1st. Meeting in Cordoba with Spanish counterpart Miguel Angel Moratinos, they discussed bilateral ties and EU-related co-operation.
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Romanian caretaker Prime Minister Emil Boc said on Friday (November 13th) that signing a border traffic agreement with Moldova signals the relaunch of ties between the neighbours. After meeting with Moldovan counterpart Vlad Filat, Boc said it marked the resumption of economic, cultural and diplomatic ties.
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Croatia will achieve its primary goal of joining the EU and will encourage other countries in the region to follow suit, Croatian President Stipe Mesic said in Rome on Friday (November 13th), while meeting with Italian counterpart Giorgio Napolitano. Napolitano expressed support for Zagreb's EU bid and for the integration of other countries in the region.
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Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi expressed support Friday (November 13th) for Serbia's EU bid. "We would like to reiterate our wish to have Serbia as a partner and member of the EU," Berlusconi told reporters at a joint press conference with Serbian President Boris Tadic in Rome. He added that Serbian membership would help boost regional stability.
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Croatia will continue supporting Macedonia's EU and NATO bids, Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor said on November 10th after talks with Macedonian counterpart Nikola Gruevski in Skopje. Gruevski stressed that the experience Croatia acquired are important for his country. The two officials agreed that bilateral relations are good but could be strengthened further.
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Germany favours the unblocking of Serbia's interim trade agreement with the EU and will talk to European partners that still oppose it, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday (November 16th) after talks with Serbian President Boris Tadic. Belgrade should apply for EU membership only after the agreement has come into force, Merkel added. The agreement, part of Serbia's Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), is on ice until Belgrade is deemed to be fully co-operating with the UN war crimes tribunal.
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Slovenian Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar said on Monday (November 16th) that Bosnia and Herzegovina has met all conditions for visa liberalisation. After meeting with political leaders, he urged them to agree on constitutional changes that will make the country more functional and enable it to accelerate its EU integration process. Zbogar also met with High Representative Valentin Inzko.
(Various sources – 10/11/09-17/11/09)