WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Serbian President Boris Tadic agreed on Sept. 7 that without preserving democracy in Serbia there could be no stability or prosperity in the country or in the Balkans.

Rice and Tadic signed a Status of Forces Agreement in Washington after a half hour long meeting on Kosovo. The agreement regulates the rights and obligations of U.S. military personnel stationed in Serbia.

Tadic also discussed the Serbian negotiating team's stance on Kosovo's status with Rice.

"I can openly say that there is a difference of opinion concerning the future of Kosovo and Metohija, but it is very important that we maintain firm and good relations with the U.S. after the negotiations on Kosovo and Metohija. This is in Serbia's strategic interest," Tadic told reporters after meeting Rice.

Condoleezza Rice said that, "I had a very good discussion" with Tadic and added that the agreement was very important for relations between the two states.

"This agreement is very important for deepening ties between the U.S. and Serbia and improving military defense cooperation and friendship," Rice said after the agreement was signed.

Tadic said that he was very satisfied with the U.S.'s stance that a democratic Serbia was vital to stability and progress in the region, as, he added, Serbia occupied an important geostrategic position in South East Europe.

"I am confident that the U.S. has an interest in seeing Serbia become a stable country that will contribute to the prosperity of all of South East Europe," Tadic said, adding that without a democratic Serbia, as a future member of the EU and Euro-Atlantic structures, there could be no prosperity in the Balkans.