EU-president Van Rompuy spreekt met Servische president Tadic (en)

EUROPEAN COUNCIL THE PRESIDT

Brussels, 25 November 2011

EUCO PRESSE 455 PR PCE 106

Statement by Herman Van Rompuy i, President of the European Council, following the meeting with Serbian President Boris Tadic

The European Council at its meeting on 9 December 2011 will consider the Commission's Opinion on Serbia's application for European Union membership. I welcomed President Tadic's personal engagement and determination in striving to meet the economic and political criteria for membership of the European Union

While acknowledging the latest results in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, I encouraged President Tadic to take further steps to assure EU Member States that Serbia is seriously engaged in the dialogue with Kosovo and that it is implementing in good faith the agreements reached so far. Regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations are essential parts of the enlargement process. The European Council will judge each country on its own merits, based on fair and rigorous conditionality

Today's meeting with President Tadic gave me once again the opportunity to reaffirm the EU's commitment to the European perspective of the Western Balkans with the aim to reinforce peace, democracy and stability in Europe

Dirk De Backer - Spokesperson of the President - 8 +32 (0)2 281 9768 - +32 (0)497 59 99 19 Jesus Carmona - Deputy Spokesperson of the President - 8 +32 (0)2 281 9548 / 5150 - +32 (0)475 65 32 15 press.president@consilium.europa.eu http://www.consilium.europa.eu/