Serbia for EU

Germany firmly supports Serbia's bid to become an official candidate for European Union membership, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said in Belgrade on Thursday.

"It is doable, it is reachable if we stay patient, flexible, rational and busy," Westerwelle told reporters after meeting his Serbian counterpart, Vuk Jeremic. "The next step is the status of candidate of EU. Germany would like to see this step taken at the next meeting of the European Council."

Westerwelle praised Serbia for its progress in implementing agreements reached with its neighbor and former province Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008. The government in Belgrade does not recognize Kosovo's sovereignty, an issue that remains the single biggest stumbling bloc on its road to EU accession.

During the German minister's visit, Serbia and Kosovo were holding talks mediated by the EU in Brussels. Serbia's rejection of Kosovo being allowed to attend regional summits is an issue that must be resolved before the vote on candidate status, which was delayed in December because of lack of progress in the talks.

If EU members vote to approve Serbia's candidacy in March, it would be a huge victory for pro-Western President Boris Tadic. He has made EU candidacy a major policy goal, and while he has repeatedly insisted that he would never recognize Kosovo, pressure from the EU has forced him to take a more conciliatory approach.

"Serbia has a constructive approach in the dialogue with Pristina and is maximally opened for a deal," Tadic said after meeting with Westerwelle.

Earlier on Thursday, ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo removed roadblocks on two border posts linking the two countries, enabling traffic to pass through for the first time since July last year. The roadblocks had been a source of ethnic violence in the region for months.

acb/msh (AFP, AP, Reuters)