Dacic: Serbia looks forward to Luxembourg's EU presidency
Serbia is looking forward to Luxembourg's presidency over the Council of the European Union given that it would like to see the first chapters in its EU accession talks opened as soon as possible, and it expects that Luxembourg will help the process, Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic stated on Wednesday
Our main strategic goal is the EU membership, but in order to reach any goal, even the farthest one, the first step needs to be made, and opening of a certain chapter is one of the first steps, said Dacic, who is on a visit Luxembourg, which is to assume the Council of the European Union presidency on July 1.
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He said at a joint press conference with Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Jean Asselborn that it is important that there is continuity in the European integration process and that Serbia expects to find a way for the opening of first chapters in the membership talks by the end of the year.
Brussels should show that Serbia's steps were not in vain
Serbia is not asking for any benefits or a privileged status. We only call for understanding for everything Serbia has done to date in the dialogue with Pristina and the EU integration process, and that the EU perspective is the main driving force of the region's stability, Dacic underlined.
Serbia expects to open some chapter by year's end
Serbia expects to open some chapter by the end of the year, as part of the efforts to achieve its main objective- EU membership, said Dacic, who is on a visit to Luxembourg on Wednesday.
After the talks with Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Jean Asselborn, Dacic said at a joint news conference that Serbia is trying to formulate, together with officials of the EU, German, and Luxembourg as next holder of the EU Presidency, how to open some chapter in the entry talks.
Noting that Serbia has demonstrated commitment in its ongoing OSCE chairmanship, Dacic said that stable Serbia is a prerequisite for stability in the region, and for Serbia to be stable, there has to be a steady pace in the EU integration process.
Speaking about Serbia-Luxembourg relations, Dacic described them as good, but added that they can be much more dynamic.
The trade between Serbia and Luxembourg stood at EUR 27 million last year so there is much room for stepping up the economic cooperation, Dacic said.
On July 1, Luxembourg is to take over the EU Presidency from Latvia.
(Telegraf.co.uk/ Tanjug)