Austrian officials invited to WW1 centenary event

Austrian officials invited to WW1 centenary event

BELGRADE -- President Tomislav Nikolić says bilateral relations between Serbia and Austria are "very good," while they are "strongly connected" by Austrian investments.

Another reason for the strong ties is a large number of Serbs living in Austria, he noted during his meeting on Thursday with visiting Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann.

“We have opened a new chapter of friendship, in the region in particular, and we would like Austria to come there first,” the president's press service quoted Nikolić as saying.

“We are holding sincere talks with the EU on fully-fledged membership, putting our state in order in line with the EU's standards and Serbia can only contribute to the community in every possible sense,” the president underlined.

“Serbia is an example that problems could be resolved through dialogue, as we do not take exclusionary or categorical stands, but rather moderate ones, and such has been also our approach to the crisis in Ukraine,” Nikolić said.

The chancellor said that Austria supports the EU enlargement, and underlined the importance of the rule of law and the fight against corruption in Serbia, the release said.

The EU should strengthen ties between its member states, and be a place which no one would want to leave, Faymann said.

The strengthening of economic and social ties will help ensure a peaceful and stable future for the European peoples, the chancellor said.

Nikolić thanked Faymann for Austria's participation in the forthcoming donor conference and assistance it sent to Serbia during the severe flash floods in May.

The Serbian president extended an invitation...