Dacic talks about "EU or Kosovo dilemma"

Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic and his Romanian counterpart Teodor Melescanu opened on Tuesday in Timisoara the conference "Security Challenges in the Balkans."

Dacic warned that when it comes to the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and when it is insisted to make solutions that will not affect others, it is forgotten that solutions were made that destroyed the territorial integrity of Serbia.

"The EU says that there must not be border change. What about Serbia's borders," he asked. "They first destroyed them, and after that they say there should be no more border changes. We do not accept that, even if it comes from Brussels, Washington or Moscow."

There are problems in the Balkans, but they do not have to be basis for wars, he stressed, adding that more understanding is needed from the international community, and that in this respect Serbia is trying to keep a balanced foreign policy that respects all our strategic goals.

"Our strategic goal is to enter the EU, but we cannot enter until a legally binding agreement with Kosovo is reached," he said.

"Romania and the four EU countries that have not recognized Kosovo will say that that is not necessary, but many other countries will say that it is. On the other hand, this opens a dilemma in our society - the EU or Kosovo. These are very big and difficult issues and those who speak about them must have a deep understanding of those matters," Dacic underlined.

He said that Serbia wants peace because of the great sacrifices it has born and expressed the hope that more chapters in the negotiations with the EU will be opened during the Romanian EU presidency.