German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Friday addressed reporters before their meeting in Berlin.

Merkel, who spoke first, stressed the importance of the talks conducted in Brussels between Serbia and Kosovo, adding that close cooperation and discussion was important in the process of EU integration.

According to her, Serbia has undertaken encouraging reforms. Merkel commended the Serbian prime minister for this.

"We are here to help find a solution, no matter how difficult that may seem," Merkel said.

After thanking the German chancellor for her personal interest in the Balkans and Serbia, Vucic stressed that, as far as bilateral relations were concerned, Serbia and Germany were taking big steps forward.

"Each year trade between Germany and Serbia increases. Germany is the most important EU country to us," Vucic said.

According to him, difficult and painful steps are ahead of Serbia on the road toward EU membership. On that road, he stressed, "Serbia is dedicated to peace and stability."

"Any kind of conflict would set all our countries and peoples back 100 years. We strive to avoid tensions, conflicts, and destabilization," he said, and added that bad news always dominates in Serbia.

"Yesterday ground was broken for two German factories, but bad news such as the region's destabilization dominates. I believe that, with Germany, we will overcome that," he concluded.

After addressing the media, Vucic and Merkel proceeded to hold their meeting.

The German chancellor's office announced earlier that Merkel and Vucic would meet over lunch and discuss bilateral relations particularly, as well as regional issues, but also European political topics.

Vucic is on Friday on his second visit to Berlin at Merkel's invitation in a very short time. The Serbian president previously met with the German chancellor on February 27.

Earlier in the week, while visiting Mostar, in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Vucic announced that he wants to hear from Merkel how she sees relations between Belgrade and Pristina, overall regional relations, but also to seek support in the search for a compromise between Belgrade and Pristina.

Vucic also said that the meeting was "of utmost importance for the future of Serbia" - but that citizens should not expect too much, "because it is simply unrealistic to expect us to command great powers."

See at:https://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics.php?yyyy=2018&mm=04&dd=13&nav_id=103928