Tomislav Nikolic, who was elected president of Serbia on Sunday, according to still unofficial results, said on Sunday evening he had "nothing against" good relations between Serbia and Croatia, adding that the two countries should live in permanent peace.
"I will have a lot of work before I get to Zagreb.... but I will definitely go there. I will not pretend that I am brothers with some of you, but Serbia and Croatia need to live in permanent peace," Nikolic said addressing the press after a runoff on Sunday in which rightist Nikolic narrowly defeated liberal leader Boris Tadic.
Nikolic stressed he would lead the country which must have good relations with everyone, adding that these relations were not based on his personal wishes.
He underlined he had genetic predispositions to hate Croatia, that he was born in Sumadija and that neither he nor anyone in his family were caused harm by Croatia.
Nikolic said Croatia needed to resolve the issue of Serbs it had expelled and the issue of their property and safety.
"Croatia should show it has earned that status of the EU member that it has, let Croatia show that all citizens in that country are equal and it will have an associate in me for all forms of cooperation," he added.
Speaking about Serbia's relations with the international community, Nikolic said he planned serious visits to Moscow, Brussels and Washington and that he would ask to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, adding that Germany was "Serbia's main ally in the Balkans."
In a close-run vote, Nikolic defeated Tadic with the result - 49.76 percent versus 47.15 - and broke an almost 12-year hold on power by the reformists who ousted Serb strongman Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.
Turnout was 46.8 percent.
