Tadic: Serbia needs EU membership

SKOPJE, Serbia, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Serbian President Boris Tadic says he is trying to find a solution to the Kosovo issue that will satisfy Serbian citizens, as well as European Union officials.

Tadic said Serbian citizens, however, will not support a solution that fails to maintain Serbia's interests in Kosovo, Tanjug reported.

Serbia has refused to recognize Kosovo as an independent country.

"Serbia does not foster illusions that it could get Kosovo back into the state system of the Republic of Serbia in a way it used to be before 2000, but Serbia is not giving up on negotiations and searching for a sustainable solution," Tadic was quoted in the Dnevnik newspaper.

Tadic, who said dual sovereignty is a possible solution to the issue, said Serbia will lag behind the rest of Europe if it is not integrated into the EU.

"All those who propose that Serbia should suspend its EU integration process, primarily because of Kosovo and Metohija, are in fact telling the citizens who will be born in the future and the young people of today that there will be less jobs and less possibilities to export Serbia's products," Tadic said.