EU should approach Serbs as neutrally as others - Klaus

He said the EU should find time for the accession talks and should approach Serbia as neutrally as other candidates.

Tadic said Serbia expects its EU membership to bring it more stability and economic growth.

However, as far as Kosovo is concerned, Serbia will not recognise its former province´s independence, Tadic said.

"I have full understanding for Serbia´s ambition to become a EU member as soon as possible. I´d like to offer my assitance of any kind, but the EU has many reasons to deal with itself instead of any other country," Klaus said.

He said the EU has to solve its own problems, but it should find time for negotiations about Serbia´s accession.

Serbia hopes that it will become an EU candidate country soon now that it has arrested Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic, the last two of the internationally wanted persons who are suspected of war crimes in the 1990s.

However, relations between Serbia and the key EU countries that have recognised Kosovo´s independence are still hampered by the situation in Kosovo. In late July, tension in Kosovo´s area with prevailing Serbian population culminated after Pristina attempted to gain control of two border crossings with Serbia.

Tadic then told the media that Serbia will not withdraw from northern Kosovo even if this were to block its official candidacy for EU entry.

After meeting Klaus in the presidential chateau in Lany today, Tadic repeated that Serbia will not recognise Kosovo or its independence until he stays in the post Serbian president.

Klaus said he has not the least ambition to advise another country or to force it into any solution.

He said he believes Serbia will decide correctly what to do.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz