Serbia has an open door to NATO membership, but that's a decision it has to make on its own, the U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Mary Warlick stated on Feb. 5.

She told BETA that "the U.S. fully support Serbia's European and Euroatlantic aspirations, and are doing everything to help its efforts in that direction."

Warlick did not comment on the deadlines for Serbia's accession to the EU, pointing out that after the positive steps it has made at the end of 2009, including the membership application, Serbia has taken a positive direction, and the timing until full membership will depend on "Serbia's own intentions and aspirations, as well as on the work it finishes."

"EU membership is a very important aim, but there is still much work to be done. Now, after submitting a membership application, Serbia is at the true beginning of its road to the EU," she said.

According to Warlick, the U.S. strongly support the positive steps in Serbia's European integration that took place at the end of 2009, including the Schengen visa lifting.

I hope that such trends will continue in the months and years ahead of us, as they will have our absolute support, she added.

Asked if NATO membership would be beneficial for Serbia's European integrations, Warlick underlined that this is a decision Serbia has to make on its own.

"I think we should make it absolutely clear that the door to NATO membership is open to Serbia, and it is up to Serbia to decide about it," Warlick said.

She assessed the cooperation between NATO and Serbia through the Partnership for Peace program as "extremely important" and added that "some activities realized through the program could be enhanced, so as to benefit Serbia."