Wilhelm:It is vital for Serbia to become EU member

Germany wants to see Serbia in the EU, Wilhelm told reporters on Mount Kopaonik, southern Serbia, where is participating in a business forum. The German ambassador said that the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina has entered a crucial stage and that it was perhaps expected that Pristina would be pressed a little more right now. He stressed that Serbia has played a positive role for a longer while now, adding that its role could get even better if the Kosovo issue is resolved, as that would have a positive impact on the whole region. Ambassador Wilhelm added that Bosnia-Herzegovina in particular would be affected, as it is not yet a completed state, in a way. I hope that Belgrade and Pristina will arrive at a compromise and that both sides will emerge as winners, since both will benefit from resolving the issue of powers to be enjoyed by Serb municipalities in northern Kosovo, said Wilhelm. Wilhelm told the press conference that he hopes that the dialogue will yield a solution over the next few weeks. When it comes to a date for the start of Serbia's EU accession negotiations, Wilhelm said that the German government can only give the green light if the Bundestag (German parliament) votes in favor of such a decision. He added that the decision will depend a lot on the contents of a progress report on the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina that will be submitted to the European Commission by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashon in April.