Angela Merkel to press Serbia on Kosovo

BBCContinue reading the main story

BBC

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has begun a visit to Serbia with the message that it must normalise ties with Kosovo if it wants to join the EU.

She is the first prominent Western leader to visit since the capture and extradition of war crimes suspect General Ratko Mladic in May.

Talks between Serbian and Kosovan negotiators are due to resume next week in Brussels under EU mediation.

Belgrade still regards the breakaway territory as part of Serbia.

Speaking on a visit on Monday to neighbouring Croatia, which is due to join the EU in 2013, Mrs Merkel said:

"My story in Belgrade will be this: look at Croatia, they succeeded, we want you to have peace, to improve, to develop socially and economically... to join us at the table, but you need to do something in return.

"One of the preconditions for Serbia is Kosovo, that relations between those states get normalised."

Violent clashes have erupted this summer over the control of borders between Serbia and Kosovo.

Business interests

Serbia aims to be granted official EU candidate status later this year and to be given a start date for accession talks, the BBC's Mark Lowen reports from the Serbian capital.

This is the first visit to Serbia by a German chancellor in several years and is intended to encourage Serbia's government to maintain its pro-EU path, our correspondent says.

Germany was one of the first countries to recognise Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008 and has been an outspoken critic of Belgrade's refusal to accept the split, he adds.

A large delegation of business leaders is accompanying Mrs Merkel in the hope of increasing Germany's already significant investment in Serbia.

German companies including Siemens have large factories in Serbia and there are plans to expand further.

Overall, our correspondent says, the German visit is a sign that Serbia is moving more into the European mainstream and that the West has its hand outstretched.