Barroso calls on Serbia to deepen its dialogue with Kosovo

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso Wednesday welcomed Serbia's continuing engagement with Kosovo to normalise relations with the two countries. "It will be of crucial importance that Serbia maintains and deepens this dialogue all along the way," he told a news conference after meeting Serbian Prime Ministers Ivica Dacic in Brussels. He described the recommendation adopted by EU foreign ministers on Tuesday to open membership negotiations with Serbia as "historic for Serbia and for Europe too." On his part, Dacic told the joint news conference that "we expect this historic decision that should be made the day after tomorrow and that will bring good news for Serbs and Serbia. It is an historical day for Serbia and it is an historical day for the EU as well because Serbia in the EU is a factor of stability." EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Friday are expected to give the green light for the start of EU membership negotiations with Serbia. The Serbian premier later also met EU High Representative Catherine Ashton.