Germany wants Serbia to be full member of EU: Foreign minister

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Friday that Berlin wants Serbia to be a full member of the European Union.

Baerbock, who arrived in Belgrade, Serbia's capital, on a one-day official visit, met President Aleksandar Vucic and Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic.

"We see how important our values ​​are for peace, weakness, and democracy. As Germany, it means we must contribute to the region. The central foreign policy priority of the Balkans is clear, we want Serbia to be a full member of the EU, we are convinced that Serbs have "the right to live in our common house, that is why reforms in the rule of law are needed, we will sincerely support Serbia," said Baerbock.

Baerbock said that Serbia has progressed a little more than some other countries that did not receive candidate status.

"Chapters are being negotiated. We talked about how the process can be intensified. The European Union was created not for itself. We saw that peace is not taken for granted, the accession process is important, European countries are networked," said Baerbock.

She added that Germany wants to contribute to the resumption of talks on reaching a comprehensive agreement between Serbia and Kosovo.

Vucic said that the two countries have different views on the issue of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, but also that they believe that dialogue should solve problems.

"That is why Serbia is committed to dialogue in Brussels," Vucic said.

- Dialogue with Serbia

In 2011, the EU initiated a dialogue process to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia. However, the process was interrupted by tensions over the last few years.

The former Serbian province of Kosovo declared independence on Feb. 17, 2008, and is recognized by more than 100 countries, including the US, the UK, France, Germany, and Turkiye.

Belgrade continues to see Kosovo as its own territory.

Serbia, Russia, and China are among the countries which have yet to recognize Kosovo's independence.