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Barosso Urges Serbia Toward Europe By Resolving Kosovo

06 07 2007  Brussels_ Serbia should turn to Brussels rather than Moscow in order to solve the problems that keep Belgrade from fully integrating with Europe, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barosso urged Friday.

“The future of Serbia is with Europe. It’s neither with Russia nor with the United States, to put it bluntly,” Barosso said after meeting Serbian President Boris Tadic. “It is in the interest of Serbia to solve all the problems with us in a way that we can one day have Serbia as a full member of the EU.”

Russia is a traditional ally of Serbia and Moscow has threatened to veto any resolution in the UN Security Council which would start the Serbian province of Kosovo in the direction of eventual independence.

Tadic said it is natural for Belgrade and Russia to have good relations. He warned that while Serbia is able to compromise, it will never accept independence of Kosovo.

“Serbia is a European country. It wants to contribute to the European identity, and Kosovo is part of our identity,” Tadic said.

Barosso said while it is possible Serbia could by the end of 2008 become a candidate for eventual European Union membership, the country cannot join the 27-nation club until Kosovo’s status is resolved.

“The stabilization association agreement is not linked with Kosovo, but for a strategic future between Serbia and the EU, this issue can create lot of problems if it’s not resolved,” Barosso said.