Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said that Serbia’s two top priorities are European integration and safeguarding Kosovo-Metohija by diplomatic means.

Speaking as a guest in a Radio Television of Serbia show last evening, Jeremic said that he hopes that the International Court of Justice will give an opinion on the illegitimate declaration of independence by Kosovo-Metohija which will support Serbia’s stance on the issue.

He stressed that the European Commission has officially assessed that during 2009 Serbia made major progress on its path to the EU.

The Minister said that some of the most influential countries in the world have exerted pressure on those countries that have not recognised Kosovo to do so, but Serbia’s diplomatic struggle has been successful against all odds.

Our struggle for Kosovo-Metohija is not an easy one and it has implications concerning relations with some countries, some of which are EU members, said Jeremic.

However, despite a very difficult situation made even tougher by the economic crisis, the official stance and assessment of the European Commission, which is the only institute to say whether a country is making progress in the EU integration process, is very clear in its message that Serbia has made huge steps forward this year, said the Minister.

Jeremic reiterated that Serbia’s top foreign policy priorities are defending Kosovo-Metohija by diplomatic means, accelerating the EU integration process and establishing Serbia’s role as a leading country in the region, through cooperation with the entire international community and with an emphasis on relations with Brussels, Moscow, Washington and Beijing.