EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton stated in Belgrade on May 26 that the arrest of war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic will provide new energy for the process of Serbia's European integration.

After a meeting with Serbian President Boris Tadic, Ashton hailed the arrest of Ratko Mladic, saying that this day is important for Serbia, but also for the victims and their families.

Tadic said that, on this day, one of the important reform processes needed for Serbia's European integration was completed, and that Mladic's arrest is proof that Serbia is a legal state.

Catherine Ashton, who also discussed the dialog between Belgrade and Pristina with Tadic on May 26, said that this dialog is connected to the solving of practical issues and the improvement of people's lives, while Tadic stated that Serbia wished to solve the "chronic problem" of Kosovo.

Ashton said that the arrest of Ratko Mladic is an important day for the entire international justice.

After the signing of an agreement on cooperation in exchange of confidential information between the EU and Serbia, she commended the Serbian authorities for what they have done in bringing Ratko Mladic to justice, but also stressed that one should remember the victims' families on this day.

"Today is a very important day for all the families of victims and their relatives, and we should remember them today," Ashton told a news conference in Palace of Serbia.

Dacic and Ashton signed agreement on security procedures

Deputy Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and EU High Representative Catherine Ashton have signed in Belgrade the Agreement on security procedures in exchanging and protecting confidential information.

While pointing that this document is a precondition for the participation of members of the Serbian armed forces and police in EU peace missions, Dacic has underlined that the Agreement means further rapprochement of Serbia to the Union and its security policy.

The ceremony was also attended by Minister of Defense Dragan Sutanovac.


Stefanovic and Ashton: remove obstacles in Belgrade-Pristina dialog

Head of Belgrade’s negotiating team Borislav Stefanovic and EU High Representative Catherine Ashton have had talks on the continuation of the Belgrade-Pristina dialog in Brussels.

While assessing the meeting as constructive, Stefanovic has expressed belief it will help in removing the obstacles in the dialog with Pristina, and that the issues such as cadastre, freedom of move, telecommunications and registries will be solved by mid-June.

In comment to negative reactions of international officials to the idea of demarcations between the Serbs and Albanians in Kosmet, he has emphasized that the topic of negotiations could be anything that shows possibility of being agrees upon by the two sides.

The Serbian Government is ready for talks on all topics, and its officials have not stepped out of the constitutional framework and Assembly resolution on Kosmet by doing that, concluded Stefanovic.