TADIC CONGRATULATES PURIM TO JEWS

KOUCHNER LAYS WREATH ON GRAVE OF ZORAN DJINDJIC

BELGRADE, March 1 (Tanjug) - French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, who is visiting Belgrade, laid a wreath at the grave of murdered Serbian prime minister Djindjic at Belgrade's New Cemetery. Ruzica Djindjic, the widow of the late prime minister, was in attendance. The French foreign minister then headed to the presidential building where he will meet with President Tadic. Kouchner will also confer with his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic and Deputy Prime Minister Djelic. Following his visit Kouchner will travel to Pristina.

BUDAPEST, Feb 26 (Tanjug) - Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said in Budapest at the closing of a summit dedicated to the Danube region that the drafting of the Danube strategy can contribute to solving of some open bilateral issues. "One such issue is the demarcation of the border on the Danube River between Serbia nad Croatia. The Serbian side has named its member of the mixed commission, Assistant to Foreign Minister Zdravko Ponos, and I am convinced that the negotiations will soon start," Djelic told representatives of the Serbian media in the hall of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. According to him, the Danube strategy will make possible that the area at the border between Serbia, Hungary and Croatia, near Bezdan, Baje and Kopacki Rit be proclaimed a natural reserve, as well as that negotiations with Romania about a further energetic exploitation of the Danube be continued. At a Friday plenary session of the Danube conference, Djelic reiterated that Serbia will actively take part in drafting of the Danube strategy, convinced that this represents a great opportunity for the development of the whole country. The Serbian Deputy Prime Minister said that Serbia will for that purpose obtain between EUR 25 and 30 million from the EU and invited the local communities to offer their projects. "Some of the priorities are completion of the existing and construction of new bridges, wastewaters filters, solid waste recycling factories, uniting of tourist arrangements, etc.," Djelic underscored.

BUDAPEST, Feb 26 (Tanjug) - Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said after his meeting with Hungarian Science Academy President Joszef Palinkas that the two countries will find it easier to get European funds for science and technological development together. "Hungary gives EUR 1 billion each year for science, ten times more than Serbia does, even though it only has a slightly larger population than Serbia," Djelic told the press. He said that a European institute for technological development will be opened in Budapest in April, making Hungary somewhat of a centre for that field. Some 18,000 scientists work in the private sector in Hungary, mostly in multinational companies like Ericsson and Nokia. "We are far behind our neighbours in the north regarding that, but we will try to catch up with a series of new measures," Djelic remarked. Serbia will sign a EUR 200 million credit agreement with the European Investment Bank next Thursday, which concerns the construction of scientific and technological infrastructure in Serbia, said Djelic.

BELGRADE, Feb 27 (Tanjug) - French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has stated that Kosovo's independence is irreversible for France but that its recognition is not a condition for the continuation Serbia's Eu Integrations. Kouchner, who is due to arrive in Belgrade for an official visit, and will visit Pristina, said for Vecernje Novosti that "Serbia, just like any other candidate state, should solve its problems with its neighbors, who also intend to become EU members, before it gets accepted in the EU. He underscored that regardless of the difference between Belgrade and Pristina, there are domains in which they may agree with the assistance of the EULEX mission. "I am going to Belgrade to tell the citizens of Serbia that we are, and will be, with them on their country's path to the EU. We have been and will be active within the EU in order to speed up Serbia's accession," Kouchner said. He also evaluated that Serbia's is making big efforts on its path to the EU. After the visa regime liberalization and the going into effect of the Provisional Agreement, progress should now be made towards gaining the status of a candidate state and starting negotiations for the country's membership, said Kouchner. He believes that the role of Serbia is a central one and that Serbia has special responsibility for the strengthening of peace and the reconciliation process in the region.

BELGRADE, Feb 26 (Tanjug) - President of the Spanish Congress of Deputies Jose Bono Martines stated that Madrid supports Serbia on its EU path and welcomed the efforts that the Serbian government and people have made in view of the EU integration. It is certain that Spain's support to Serbia's EU accession is real, and we are satisfied with and proud of Serbia, Martines said after the meeting with parliament speaker Djukic-Dejanovic. He added that he hopes that Spain and Serbia will both be members of the EU very soon. Spanish and Serbian parliament speakers conferred in Belgrade on the promotion of inter-parliamentary and all other forms of cooperation. Dejanovic underscored that this was an opportunity to express gratitude to her Spanish colleague on the behalf of Serbian MPs, citizens and state on Spain's official stand in view of Serbia's territorial integrity and support to its EU path.

MADRID/ROME, Feb 26 (Tanjug) - President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Italian Chamber of Deputies Stefano Stefani said that Serbia's European perspective must be guaranteed and that the process of integration of all WBalkan countries, especially Serbia, in the EU must be accelerated. Stefani was attending in Madrid a meeting of presidents of the foreign affairs committees of parliaments of EU member-countries. He also conferred with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, ANSA reports. Ashton reiterated her intention to exert maximum endeavors for the integration of Western Balkan countries in the EU. She also expressed her satisfaction with the talks she had during her recent visit to Belgrade. Stefani will head the Foreign Affairs Committee delegation a WBalkan tour, which will include Belgrade, Pristina, Skopje and Sarajevo.

BELGRADE, Feb 27 (Tanjug) - Brussels should soon support lifting of the freeze of the SAA and Serbia's candidacy for the EU membership, Greek Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas has evaluated. "In regards to the recent submission of Serbia's application for the EU membership, our stand is clear - it should be discussed as soon as possible in a fair and essential way, just like in the case of other West Balkan countries. Serbia belongs in the European family and the sooner it gets the place it deserves the better it will be for the country and Europe as a whole," Droutsas said in for daily Danas. Droutsas said that the Agenda 2014 - the initiative of Athens to have the Western Balkan countries become members of the EU by the year 2014 - is too ambitious but also plausible. "Our essential goal is double: first, to renew the Union's interest in the region and second, to have the target date, 2014, serve as an incentive for the region countries to intensify their aspirations towards the EU.A final result, of course, continues to depend on the concerned sides. However, it is equally important to make the EU's will visible," underscored Droutsas.