Serbia wants compromise

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic and UK Foreign Secretary William Hague agreed on Thursday it was necessary to settle all issues between Belgrade and Pristina through talks.

(KosovoCompromiseStuff) Friday, October 26, 2012

Nikolic stressed Serbia was prepared to continue its reforms and meet the EU's requirements for the sake of joining the EU and its own interest, while Hague confirmed that London was still strongly in favour of enlargement.

Serbia entered the final stage of the talks with Pristina after the meeting between Serbia's Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and his counterpart from Kosovo Hasim Taci in Brussels last week, said Nikolic.

Serbia is prepared to make many compromises in order to solve the issue of Kosovo, but it will expect the same from the Albanian side, he underscored.

Serbia is willing to accept all solutions that improve the life of the people in Kosovo and are in line with Serbia's Constitution, Nikolic noted, the president's press service has released.

Serbia is ready for EU membership and for that goal, but also out of its own interest, it is determined to complete the judiciary reform, establish the full rule of law and stability of government institutions and deal with crime and corruption, which are the conditions set by the EU, Nikolic pointed out.

Hague welcomed the resolve Serbia displayed on its EU path.

He said the UK was a strong advocate of the EU's enlargement and that it wanted all of the region's countries to join the EU, so the UK was willing to help build the best possible relations between Balkan countries.

Hague arrived in Belgrade from Pristina, and after meeting Nikolic, he met with Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Aleksandar Vucic.