Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivan Mrkic stated, following the working dinner with his colleagues from EU member and candidate countries hosted by High Representative Catherine Ashton, that he was personally confident that Serbia would be granted the date for starting negotiations on accession, this June. 

"I have spent many years in the diplomatic service, but in my entire career I have never attended a meeting where I could hear so much praise of our Government", said Mrkic for Tanjug news agency after the three-hour-dinner at the headquarters of the European External Action Service in Brussels.

Mrkic said that Serbia and the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue were the predominant topics during the dinner attended, in addition to 27 ministers of EU member states, also by the Foreign Ministers of Turkey, Macedonia, Montenegro, Croatia and Iceland.

"All those who spoke this evening, including Lady Ashton, spoke highly of our foreign policy", said Serbian Foreign Minister underlining that, it was generally believed that the actions being taken by Serbia were appropriate and in the interest of Kosovo Serbs and the Serbian future.

"I cannot guarantee anything, but I am personally confident that we will be granted the date for commencing negotiations on Serbia's full membership", he said.

Foreign Minister Mrkic went on to say that, during the dinner, he also had bilateral talks with his colleagues from the region, which were held in a positive 'atmosphere' as well.

"As regards the region, an undivided opinion prevails that an 'atmosphere', unseen in the past, was created, and praises did not come from us but from those observing our region", emphasized Serbian Foreign Minister.

Mrkic concluded that such meetings could be highly complex, but, that evening, he felt exceptionally good as the Serbian representative.