Serbia "to protect survival" of Serb entity

Serbia "to protect survival" of Serb entity

BELGRADE -- Aleksandar Vučić said on Saturday that Serbia respected the Dayton Agreement and the integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

But the deputy prime minister in the outgoing government and leader of the SNS party added that the country "would always protect the survival of the Serb political entity in the country, Republika Srpska (RS)."

"On its way towards membership in the EU, Serbia will protect its stability, but it will also always protect the stability and survival of RS," Vučić told a joint news conference after a meeting with RS President Milorad Dodik in Belgrade.

Vučić also said that a new, special team for the improvement of the relations with the RS would be formed and also that it would not be a threat to anyone.

"The team will include important officials of Serbia and the RS and it will follow the Dayton Agreement in its work, respecting the territorial integrity of all the countries in the region," he explained.

Vučić said that during the meeting Dodik raised the issue of cooperation in the power supply industry and putting to use the potential of the river Drina, which runs between Serbia and RS, including the development of tourism in the area.

Dodik also wanted to discuss building a separate leg of the South Stream gas pipeline that would go through the RS, Vučić stated, adding that the issue would be talked over with the Bosnian government. According to Vučić, Dodik informed him that the government of Bosnia-Herzegovina might take a negative stand regarding the issue.

"In that case, the way would be open to make such an arrangement with the RS," Vučić remarked, adding that Serbia would still try to...