Serbia guided by EU ambition - and national interests

Serbia guided by EU ambition - and national interests

BELGRADE -- In addition to its desire to join the EU, Serbia will "also be guided by its national interests" when it votes in international institutions, says Ivica Dačić.

The foreign minister and first deputy prime minister told the Belgrade-based daily Danas that Serbia will not automatically support resolutions, declarations and other decisions of the European Union at the United Nations, despite its status of candidate for membership, and despite the start of accession negotiations.

Asked if Serbia will "automatically adjust" its foreign policy to key positions and decisions of the EU, Dačić said: "We will be doing that only when we become a full-fledged member."

In view of accession negotiations with the EU, which include meeting the standards of Chapter 31 related to foreign, security and defense policy, Dačić was asked "if the opening of this part of the process can be expected, and if Serbia will then start to fully harmonize its foreign policy with the EU."

"For now there has been no talk about opening Chapter 31. Chapters 32, 35, 23 and 24 are current. However, even when we open this chapter, we will not immediately start the automatic synchronization of our foreign policy. That is, not so quickly," said he.

Dačić reiterated that until it becomes a full member, Serbia will be guided "by our desire to be members of the EU, that is, a desire to be joining the positions of the EU as much as possible, and by our national and state interests in each individual case."

The newspaper said that Dačić did not wish to respond when asked, "why Serbia's national interest was still not the same as European, and what the strategy...