Czech President Vaclav Klaus said on Jan. 20 that his country strongly supports Serbia's accession to the EU, but also warned that membership in the Union may bring some disappointment.

Addressing members of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, where he was awarded an academy membership certificate, Klaus said that the current "radical changes in the EU are cause for everyone's concern."

The ceremony was also attended by Serbian President Boris Tadic, Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, ministers Vuk Jeremic, Nebojsa Bradic and Zarko Obradovic, as well as Parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic.

Afterward, at a promotion of his book at the Official Gazette bookstore cafe, Klaus said that after visiting Belgrade he felt like the Czech and Serbian people understood one another and that the two countries were friendly.

On Jan. 20 Klaus also talked with his counterpart Boris Tadic about bilateral and economic relations. Tadic expressed gratitude to the Czech Republic for its support to Serbia's European integration and congratulated Klaus, "a great friend of Serbia's," on his appointment as foreign member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.