Serbia will not have to recognise Kosovo's independence to draw closer to the European Union, Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele said on Monday, adding that it would be important for the two countries to normalise their relations with time, Agence France-Presse reported.
In talks with Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic, Fuele said he was pleased with Serbia's recent progress, notably with the arrests of war crimes indictees Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic.
Next month, Fuele is expected to decide on Serbia's application for EU membership candidate status, so he called on the Serbian government to step up reform efforts and continue building closer ties with Kosovo.
The recognition of Kosovo is not a prerequisite in the European integration process, but it will be important that Serbia and Kosovo manage to normalise relations with time, Fuele said.
He also met with Kosovo's European Integration Minister Vlora Citaku, praising the Kosovo government's decision to lift an embargo on Serbian goods and voicing hope that the next round of Serbia-Kosovo negotiations would result in new agreements.
