Germany wants Serbia in European Union
Published: 24 Feb 12 08:42 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/politics/20120224-40951.html
Germany firmly supports Serbia's EU candidacy and would like to see it given a green light at next week's EU summit, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Thursday.
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"The next step is the status of candidate of EU. Germany would like to see this step taken at the next meeting of the European Council," Westerwelle said, praising Serbia for its efforts to implement earlier agreements reached in talks with its former province of Kosovo which declared independence four years ago, including freedom of movement.
The visit came as EU-mediated talks between Belgrade and Pristina were underway in Brussels in a bid to reach an accord that would allow Kosovo to attend regional meetings, something which Serbia currently rejects.
The matter needs to be resolved before next week's decision by EU leaders on whether to grant Serbia EU candidate status. Such a decision was postponed in December because of lack of progress in the Serbia-Kosovo talks.
But Westerwelle said Serbia "has gone very far" since then and was close to the goal, adding that remaining issues "are close to being solved if approached in a spirit of cooperation."
"The fact that I am here is appreciation for what you've done so far," Westerwelle said.
The German minister also met President Boris Tadic, who said after the meeting that "Serbia has a constructive approach in the dialogue with Pristina and is maximally opened for a deal."
"I believe we meet all the conditions for the candidacy status for EU membership," Tadic said in a statement.
Earlier Thursday Serbs removed roadblocks on two border posts linking northern Kosovo with Serbia, enabling traffic through the Jarinje and Brnjak border crossings for the first time since July.
AFP/mdm
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Your comments about this article:
Oh I forgot we the E.U. (electorate ha ha ) are not clever or high minded enough to take decide on our future .
But before some of you jump down my throat , please read the report again ,
the European council is not elected ,and no country is being consulted on any decisions made within this anti-democracy E.U.
Just how far East and South the borders of the E.U. will reach is in the hands of the gods of Brussels.
It doesn't represent the interests of the smaller peripheral Eurozone countries like Greece, Portugal and Ireland or the newer EU member states like Latvia and Hungary who had to go to the IMF for help. For them the EU has caused economic ruin and a complete loss of control over their own economic policy.
"Germany wants Serbia in European Union"
It should read "Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle wants Serbia in European Union"
Why the assumption that he as a member of a party below 3% in the polls speaks for Germany .
I am not so sure the masses are capable of an informed and well thought out decision concerning matters such as this.
I am also not sure the elected leaders are either.
May be a special commission appointed by the EU could investigate these new governments as to their financial stability , human rights records, environmental status ect, before they are accepted.
they want Serbia for what reason?
the European Union is dead,buried by the stupidity of Germany's inaction and inability to deal with other partner countries on an equal basis.
their atiitude to Greece,Italy and Portugal has been nothing short of outrageous.
even though we notice it is never mentioned in the German press,Greece requested to leave the European Union and declare bankruptcy from the inception.
the Chinese specifically were prepared to bank roll their debt,and in fact even Erdogan from Turkey proposed the same direction to them,by suggesting finance could be gained from Turkey and Arab countries on a State visit there.
Germany got frightened of Chinese or Turkish or Arab involvement in Europe via Greece.
Germany blocked Greece from leaving Europe,then started scolding them for being in Europe and financially unstable,and then leaked again the possibility they will be thrown out of Europe at the times they offerred 130 billion Euros.
the hypocricy is obvious.
i notice how deficient most of the German press is on real facts and real happenings
i would suggest to most Germans that if they want to find out what their govt is up to read,Turkish,Greek,Iranian,American,Arab,Spanish news and information..because reading their local news reminds one of the propaganda sheets Goebells used to come up with...or maybe the Germans who have a slight tendency for the nostalgia of the past,may prefer it this way..i mean it is another Reich their govt wants to creat..correct?..well once again they will fail..i mean how many times does Europe have to put up with these German fatso fascists?
I bet your comment would make sense if it was written in English.
Try again because it was gobbledegook to me.
I would much rather have Germany in charge than any other country. Its politics are much less self-destructive and more financially responsible, esp. in terms of setting a good example, than the United States. (And I'm American.)
All these nay-sayers about the EU are either Brits, thinking that they still have an empire, or resentful currency and commodity traders, who want to do away with the common currency and pricing. The EU isn't going away. And restrictions on banking with sufficient currency reserves are on the way, in Britain and in the US.
Good.