Today's Date:

VISIT TO SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO

Belgrade, July 23, 2004

THE MINISTER – (...) Today, this long-standing, traditional friendship between France and Serbia and Montenegro, which hasn't always been easy, particularly in recent years, must, I think, be given a new boost, taking into account the new context of this continent which is getting organized : the context of the European project.

This European project, for which I have actively campaigned since the day I first got personally involved in it, is one which has to be clearly understood here. Our nations, our countries aren't merging, abandoning their identities, languages, traditions or differences. Simply, in a number of areas, we're getting together, we're living definitively in peace and democracy. We're endeavouring to make progress, whose fruits we share. That's what the European project has been about, for fifty years. It's not about fine words or promises, it's been a reality for fifty years, and ever since I became involved I've never stopped, like all the French, being both patriotic – proud of being French – and, at the same time, proud of being European.

Your country began its democratic, economic transition only four years ago, and we're going to support it so that it's successful. You have ahead of you a necessary process, involving action in several areas, which I want to talk about, including Serbia and Montenegro's domestic reforms and adapting the law and economy to this new European context. There is a need too – Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic talked about this earlier – (...) for speedy, practical cooperation with the International Tribunal. (...)

Of course, this prospect of a future in Europe must also be the opportunity to facilitate (...) [resolution of] the Kosovo problem. France has always paid, and will go on paying close attention to the situation of Kosovo's inhabitants, all the inhabitants, including, of course, the minorities. Our commitment, as far as France is concerned, is going to increase heavily in the next few weeks since in September we are going to take command of KFOR and, at the appropriate moment, personally as French Minister, with this concern to understand, respect and help, I'll be going to Kosovo to listen to everyone, Kosovo Albanians and Serbs. But what I am sure about, ladies and gentlemen, is that it's now possible to speed up a solution through dialogue, peace and progress, provided everyone agrees to play their part in the dialogue – this is the message I've been relaying today – including the one on concrete issues where work is under way, I'm thinking of decentralization where some extremely specific proposals are on the table.

Given the prospect of a future in Europe I was talking about, which is one of peace and stability for all those joining the EU, the time has come for Kosovo Albanians and Serbs to stop ignoring or threatening each other. They must take the path of dialogue and find together, with our support, a solution worthy of their European destiny.

Finally, I said, and I repeat to you, as I did to President Tadic earlier, that I am very committed to bilateral cooperation between Serbia and Montenegro and France going beyond the political sphere and having a human, societal, cultural dimension. So I am going to lay great emphasis on practical cooperation projects in order to improve daily life, civil service training, the drawing-up of the land register, water, food and telephony projects to which French firms can contribute, and everything to do with education, culture and exchanges of young people./.