French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said in Belgrade on March 1 that Serbia's membership in the EU is not conditional on Belgrade's recognition of Kosovo's independence, but added that it is necessary to simultaneously pursue the European path and find a compromise for Kosovo.

"We are working on a compromise and France will be there for you," Kouchner told the press after meeting his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic.

"There is no condition for Serbia to acknowledge Kosovo in order to join the EU, but it is necessary that the European path and compromise for Kosovo develop simultaneously," the French minister said.

Jeremic said he was happy with the meeting, adding that the main topics were the strategic orientation of the Western Balkans and the region's path to the EU. Jeremic stressed that the cabinet's strategic priority is membership in the EU, noting that Serbia is a European country with a European history and that it belongs to Europe in every way.

"Serbia wants a compromise solution for the future status of Kosovo and Metohija," the Serbian minister said, stressing that the solution offered by Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence on Feb. 17, 2008 was not a compromise.

Kouchner also met with President Boris Tadic to discuss bilateral ties and the continuation of the European integrations of Serbia and Kosovo, according to a statement from Tadic's office.

"They agreed that no additional conditions for EU membership would be set for Serbia," the statement added.

Tadic said Serbia expects that the International Court of Justice's opinion on the legality of Kosovo's independence will open the way toward finding a sustainable and compromise solution for Kosovo.

While in the capital, Kouchner also laid flowers on the grave of late Premier Zoran Djindjic. He was accompanied by Djindjic's wife Ruzica and French Ambassador Jean-Francois Terral. In the afternoon, Kouchner left Belgrade for Pristina.