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Updated: 19-Jul-2006 NATO Speeches

NATO HQ

19 July 2006

Press Point

by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and
the President of Serbia, Mr. Boris Tadic

MODERATOR: Gentlemen, welcome to the slightly unusual surroundings. The Secretary General and the President Tadić will make opening statements and we will have time for a few questions...

JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER (Secretary General of NATO): Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is a special pleasure for all of us and for me to receive President Tadić of Serbia here this morning in Council. And I thank him very much for accepting the invitation which is proof of the fact, as I said a moment ago, in closing the Council, President Tadić that Serbia matters to NATO and that the NATO Allies want very much and are supporting the course on which President Tadić and others have set Serbia which is the course for Euro-Atlantic integration. Important from a perspective in the relationship between Serbia and NATO but also very much important from a regional perspective.

And we sincerely hope and knowing the credentials, the political credentials of President Tadić, I'm sure that he's one of those leaders who realizes that to make that happen, to make it happen that Serbia will see Euro-Atlantic integration and do it from the jargon that Serbia will become a member of the European Union and become a member of NATO is an objective which is reachable. And then always comes the phrase "if the necessary conditions are fulfilled". And we all know about the necessary conditions. And I think Allies have applauded the action plan which has been presented to arrest Ratko Mladić. And an action plan should now be translated from paper into action. That is all important as are a number of other elements of a regional nature. NATO is Kosovo: almost 17,000 young men and young women. Why? To protect majority and minority alike. The Allies realize that this is a difficult year for Serbia. But they want to support Serbia. And they are supporting Serbia in the framework of defence cooperation, in the framework of a "tailored" cooperation program, in the framework of the military liaison office which is going to be open.

What we do hope, and President Tadić made that crystal clear in Council that he'll tell you about that himself, what we really hope is that he and his fellow Serbs will do everything they can to fulfil the conditions for what we all hope.

This is an important year for NATO, from a Western bulletin perspective because there will be a summit in Riga. And I'm quite sure at that summit positive signals are going to be given to those nations who have the membership action plan in the Western Balkans. I do want and our work together with our Serb friends to see that might be also a moment that also positive signals can be given to Serbia. And I know it's up to them, it's up to the Serbs and not up to NATO to make that happen. So I can't be the only one and the Allies can't be the only ones to be instrumental in that process. But please see this invitation to President Tadić and his presence here today as a signal that we all have that ambition to reach that goal. Mister President, it's a pleasure to receive you here this morning. You're very welcomed.

BORIS TADIĆ (President of Serbia): Thank you Mister Secretary General. It was a really great opportunity to explain Serbia's position in the NAC. Serbia today is a democracy. Serbia is a central country of South-Eastern Europe regarding our geostrategic position. And without Serbia, it is impossible to achieve stability and prosperity in the region. This is our common conclusion today. And this is very important. For that reason, I think that all reforms which are coming from defence sector in Serbia are extremely important. We achieved a lot in past few years. We are working very hard on that issue and I'm very optimistic until 2010 we're going to finalize first phase of our reforms. We're going to have professional army with the NATO standards. But at the same time, this army, these armed forces can be very useful regarding peace and stability in the region. This is how I see perspective in our defence sector. In that sense, we are cooperating with NATO. I'm expecting opening of liaison office in Belgrade in September in cooperation in all other fields. This is very important for our armed forces, our soldiers, our officers. But this is also very important for regional stability.

To keep Serbia outside of the Euro-Atlantic structure is not useful. But that can be very dangerous. I would like to see Serbia in the Partnership for Peace program very soon. And they hope that we're going to have a progress in this field.

Political situation in the region very much depends on the situation on Kosovo. I appreciate very much your presence on Kosovo and protection of minority and Albanians on Kosovo. Serbs are in a very difficult in Kosovo today. I have to repeat that again. And I'm expecting the NATO and KFOR will be capable to solve all possible problems in the future.

During the negotiation process, we're going to have challenges. But I have to insure you that Serbia is going to participate in the negotiation process as a democracy. We're negotiating. We are defending our national legitimate interest. This is territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country. But we are showing at the same time the democratic values, European values.

Serbia has a goal to become a member of EU and Euro-Atlantic structure. This is our national goals. Those two goals are our national priorities. I repeat that again in the NAC today we talked about perspective for relations in the future.

MODERATOR: Question. First one there.

Q: Ever since you're willing to help Serbia, can you find a way or can you imagine having Serbia and PFP without having Mladić in The Hague? And to Mr. Tadić have you decided if you're going next Monday in Vienna?

DE HOOP SCHEFFER: Let me start by saying that you know that this, of course, the major hurdle to cross for PFP. And that's why I said I'm glad about the action plan which I hope... which is a step in a very good direction. But I hope it will be translated, of course, into deeds. At the same time, President Tadić's presence here this morning is proof of the fact that the Allies want to increase and to strengthen the cooperation with Serbia. But let me repeat the Serbs in Serbia - and I think President Tadić realizes that - should make it happen. Do not forget, NATO has a stake in the region by this presence in Kosovo. President Tadić mentioned Kosovo.

I'm glad that he says that Serbia and the Serbs are going to participate in a constructive way in those all important talks under President Ahtisaari's leadership. So NATO has a stake in Serbia and NATO has a stake in the region. If I discuss and comment on regional policy it is because Serbia matters in the region. And when you speak about the region and you speak about the only recipe for lasting security and stability which is Euro-Atlantic integration I cannot imagine a State in that region on Euro-Atlantic integration with Serbia. It's crystal clear. But again, Serbia must make it happen. We'll support whatever we can as NATO is proving in many ways in and for Serbia.

TADIĆ: We were asking for direct talks about Kosovo future status. We have some technical problems, very small technical problems. And I'm expecting Martti Ahtisaari is going to solve this problem. I heard that he solved this problem during my visit in Brussels. And for that reason, I'm ready to go there.

MODERATOR: Thank you. The next question?

Q: For General Secretary, yesterday, President Boris said that there's still chance to have ESA agreement with Serbia in this year. Is it valid also for Partnership for Peace for Serbia from NATO? And for President Tadić, did you demand something particularly from NATO today? And what will be your position in the future, or for timetable. When do you expect that Serbia will be member of NATO and is it a priority like it is membership in the European Union?

TADIĆ: Yes, I asked for many things today and I'm expecting a really increasing follow-up of cooperation in all fields, especially a location for our offices which is significant and very important and cooperation and science allocation is something what I have to mention right now. In the past, we had so many advisers which were coming from NATO. And they were very helpful for Serbia's defence reforms. And I'm expecting more advices in the future. What was the second question?

Q: Timetable and is it priority for Serbia also membership in NATO like...

TADIĆ: This is priority for Serbia. We are facing with a situation that all countries in the region are members of Euro-Atlantic structure, Partnership for Peace or NATO. And right now, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Greece are in the NATO. We can expect that Croatia is going to become in the next few years and also Albania. That means that we're in the region under NATO umbrella. We're expecting to be together with NATO in that sense.

This is one of the priorities for my country. The other priority is to become member of European Union. What is the timetable? Tomorrow.

DE HOOP SCHEFFER: I'm an optimist. Some of you mentioned 2006 which is an important year, also a difficult year I say with the President for Serbia, I realize that. But I'm an optimist. So I would very much hope that 2006 will be the year that we can see Serbia into Partnership for Peace. But you know how that should come about. But I'll be the one as NATO Secretary General that if the conditions are fulfilled I say again, I'd rather see Serbia in the PFP this afternoon than tomorrow morning. Let's stay optimistic. And let's take the Action Plan, I say it again, as a step in the right direction but then let the people deliver. That's all important. I'll work for my part to make 2006 the year.

MODERATOR: A question.

Q: Yes, I have a question to President Tadić. Could you say more about situation in Southern Serbia? Do you have a solution for the situation which seems to be no less dangerous than in Kosovo? And after, the question turns to General Secretary, apart Serbia, could you comment the situation of Belarus after the arrest of M. Kozulin, the opposition leader?

TADIĆ: I can say the situation in southern part of Serbia and southern municipalities with Albanian majorities are very stable. We don't have problems there. We have to solve some problems in terms of the economy. This is very important but we don't have security problems right now fortunately. I'm not expecting problems in the future.

JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER: If you see for what Mr. Kozulin has been jailed in Belarus, it would come as a surprise to you if I say that this in violation, in flagrant violation of the values on which the partnership of NATO is founded. So I can only be extremely critical on what has happened in the jailing of M. Kozulin.

MODERATOR: Time for the last question.

Q: For President Tadić, on implementation of action plan, in case of Croatia, there was a full cooperation between President of Croatia and Prime Minister of Croatia on implementation of that plan. Do you have full cooperation and the same opinion with Prime Minister Kostunica on that? Because the fact that he came alone in the meetings of the ministers of EU and you came later, some diplomats said there are some disputes between you, so if you can clarify. And for Secretary General, since... in the next phase of the Kosovo talks, security issues are going to be discussed, including the possibility of Kosovo having an army and future, later or after the status. Is NATO now going to be more engaged in the status talks in Kosovo? And do you think that the position of the Serbs in Kosovo which is not good at the moment can be improved if they really participate in Kosovar institutions?

TADIĆ: My answer is yes, we do. We have a full cooperation between president and prime minister. We are sharing our responsibilities. And because of that he was a day before me in Brussels. Right now, I'm here in Brussels. And we are in diplomatic action trying to explain Serbia's position. And trying to provide all supports including the cooperation.

DE HOOP SCHEFFER: As you know, NATO is represented in the contact group by Ambassador James Pardew. So we are following that process very closely. On the other hand, it's also clear, let me repeat, that it is up to Martti Ahtisaari, President Ahtisaari to lead that process and NATO is not going to be a direct player. NATO is an important player. Let me state once again that NATO will not close the door behind it... NATO-KFOR will not close the door behind it if status talks would come to conclusion. We all know a certain form of a security presence will be discussed. I'm quite sure that NATO will play a role there. But we leave the political process to President Ahtisaari. I hope, of course, when I make a strong plea here in President Ahtisaari's presence for a constructive and direct constructive participation of Belgrade in the negotiations as the President has reconfirmed. I also repeat my plea to Kosovo Serbs which I also did when I was in Priština that they actively participate and they do their part of making these talks into a success. That is of great importance.

MODERATOR: It's all we have time for, I'm afraid.

UNIDENTIFIED: Thank you.

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