Dacic meets with Rasmussen

BELGRADE - Serbian FM Ivica Dacic met with Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen in Belgrade on Thursday, and said Serbia was advocating preservation of peace and prevention of loss of life in Kosovo-Metohija and called for an objective assessment of the situation there.

After the meeting with Rasmussen, Dacic told reporters Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had presented to Rasmussen in detail his views on the situation in Kosovo-Metohija, pointing out a lack of compliance with the Brussels Agreement, especially when it comes to establishing a Community of Serb Municipalities.

Dacic thanked Denmark for supporting Serbia's EU integration and asked it to also take into account Serbian interests and the fact that, besides a desire to proceed on the European path, Serbia had a need to protect national interests as well.

Dacic said Rasmussen's visit to Serbia was the third by a Danish FM in the past five years and noted that there was a desire for advancement of relations.

"We are glad we have succeeded in making certain progress in economic cooperation, which stood at a record-high 520 mln euros last year," Dacic said.

Rasmussen said this was not his first visit to Belgrade and that he was witnessing progress made by Serbia, and welcomed the Serbian government's reform agenda when it comes to digitalisation, energy transition and waste water control.

He said his meeting with Dacic had also addressed opportunities for further cooperation and that there were quite a few Danish companies investing in Serbia but that there was space for more.

He said the tendencies in the past few years had been good and that the two sides agreed on signing inter-governmental agreements, especially in the health care and energy sectors.

He noted that he believed Serbia's future was in the European family and noted that Denmark remained committed to help Serbia on that path but that sustainable progress in rule of law was important for that.

He said he was concerned over the situation in the region and a pause in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

He said the situation in the north of Kosovo-Metohija was alarming and added that last weekend's attacks and attacks on Kfor earlier this year were unacceptable.

Rasmussen encouraged both sides to de-escalate the situation and said he believed Serbia would be constructive.