Serbian and French PMs lay wreaths at monument

Serbian and French PMs lay wreaths at monument

BELGRADE -- French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says his country is pleased that it "once again found the brotherly Serbia" and was "waiting for it open arms in Europe."

"France and Serbia, yesterday united in war, are now reunited in a project of peace - Europe," said Valls.

The French prime minister spoke after he and his Serbian counterpart took part in a wreath laying ceremony at the Monument of Gratitude to France, built to commemorate the WW1-era alliance between the two countries.

They sent a message that Serbia and France were "bound by long-term steady friendship" that will also be developed in the coming decades.

Vučić said that Serbia in the First World War overcame the hardest challenges, adding that his message "to all who are today trying to tear down its peace and stability" was that -"it will not work":

"No matter what kind of challenges many who do not wish well to Serbia put in front of us, I promise we will not run anywhere, step aside for anyone, that we will win and that Serbia will be a normal, modern and prosperous country."

He emphasized that Serbia "will show its strength, courage and determination," and convince otherwise everyone who thought that "Serbia can be brought down the way they think and the way it occurred to them."

"To all who are trying to tear down the peace and stability in the country, who are today calling for secession of parts of our territory, who, using politics, rather than law, try to destabilize Serbia, the message is clear and unambiguous - Serbia is free, one, only and indivisible."

Turning to the subject of the ties with France, Vučić said that "the highlight of...