Nikolić to discuss Kosovo, economic issues in New York
Serbia’s President Tomislav Nikolic has arrived in New York where he will take part at a plenary sitting of the UN General Assembly.
(KosovoCompromiseStuff) Monday, September 24, 2012
He will also have a series of meetings during his stay in New York.
Nikolic is scheduled to meet with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in the afternoon.
The president will on Monday participate at a high panel on the rule of law which will be chaired by former Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic.
According to announcements, Nikolić will today also meet with Cyprian President Demetris Christofias. Cyprus is one of the five EU member states that have not recognized Kosovo's independence.
Kosovo and economic issues will be the main topics of the Serbian president's meetings in New York, Nikolić's foreign policy advisor Marko Duric told The news.
The Serbian president will, along with other world leaders, attend U.S. President Barack Obama's reception at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Monday evening.
Tanjug has learnt that Nikolic will meet with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton on Thursday.
"A topic in the talks with Ashton will certainly be Serbia's general cooperation with the EU, current political issues, including the political process between Belgrade and Pristina," Duric told.
According to announcements from Belgrade, details about the level and the format of the Belgrade-Priština talks should be known after Nikolić's visit to New York. The EU stresses that "normalization of relations" with Pristina is a condition for a date for the beginning of Serbia's EU accession talks.
Serbian Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic is also a part of the Serbian delegation that is visiting New York.
A debate at the UN General Assembly will begin on Tuesday. Nikolić will be the third speaker to address the assembly, right after Obama.
