Dacic: Belgrade respects territorial integrity of all states

BELGRADE - Serbia is maintaining a principled position on the Ukrainian crisis and Belgrade respects the territorial integrity of all UN member states, Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, who is also foreign minister, said on Sunday.

We cannot impose restrictive measures on the Russian Federation, Dacic told reporters in the Foreign Ministry building, responding to a question whether Serbia is under pressure from the West to impose sanctions on Russia over the Ukrainian crisis.

Serbia will have to align its policy with that of the EU once it becomes an EU member, Dacic said.

"Serbia is not an EU member - if we were ready, we would already be one - and I also do not see unity among all European countries on that issue," Dacic said.

He said that Serbia has a constructive position and that there is no need to pressure it.

"We know what we want and what we do not want, as well as what we have and do not have to do," Dacic said, noting that it is "considered normal for Western countries to have excellent relations with Russia and China, while it is problematic for Serbia to have good relations with them."

Dacic also said that he has instructed Foreign Ministry officials to respect diplomatic reciprocity, and that the treatment of foreign diplomats in Serbia should reflect the treatment of Serbian diplomats in their respective countries.

"In some countries, our embassies cannot even get parking spots, and they want round-the-clock security here," Dacic said.

He also said that Serbia is under pressure aimed at preventing it from blocking Kosovo's admission to international organisations such as the Venice Commission.

"Serbia cannot prevent those admissions, but...

Continue reading on: