Mogherini, Dačić discuss Kosovo dialogue, Ukraine

Source: Tanjug

BRUSSELS -- Federica Mogherini hopes the Kosovo dialogue would quickly resume, and that the EU expects both sides to continue work to implement the Brussels agreement.

(Beta/AP, file)

The EU foreign policy chief said in a statement after her meeting late on Tuesday in Brussels with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić that she hoped the dialogue on normalization of relations between Belgrade and Priština will continue as soon as possible.
Mogherini stated that during her meeting with Dačić they discussed Serbia's foreign policy, and underlined the need to "progressively harmonize it with EU foreign policy."

Another topic was the upcoming presidency of Serbia in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

"We agreed that the crisis in Ukraine is the first priority and should be dealt with in accordance with the basic principles of the OSCE," said the statement, quoting the EU official.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia said that Mogherini stressed she supported the EU enlargement process and stated it will not be slowed down during her tenure - despite the fact that no country would join the EU as a member during that time.

Mogherini supported the resumption of the Kosovo dialogue on the political level as soon as possible, pointing out that she will participate in it personally, the Serbian ministry's statement said.

She stressed the importance of Serbia's chairmanship in the OSCE during 2015, particularly bearing in mind the role of this organization in the process of resolving the crisis in Ukraine.

Dačić said that Serbia during its presidency of the OSCE intends to seek "all possible ways to assist the Minsk peace process in order to find a peaceful solution."

When it comes to the harmonization of the Serbian foreign policy with that of the EU, Mogherini stated that the EU expects from Serbia to "gradually increase the percentage of alignment" - according to the Serbian MFA.

During the meeting, Mogherini and Dačić discussed also an initiative of the EU related to the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Dačić said that Serbia was "ready to assist in this process" and would support "any solution that contributes to the stability of Bosnia-Herzegovina."

Mogherini also said that she plans to visit Serbia early next year at the latest.

While in Brussels, Dačić aslo met with EU's enlargement commissioner, Johannes Hahn.