Significant step on way towards EU, say foreign ministers

EUROPEAN REACTION: EU foreign ministers welcomed the arrest of Bosnian war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic yesterday, heralding it as a "significant step on Serbia's path towards the EU".

But they made no immediate move to ratify a stabilisation and association agreement (SAA) promising closer ties between the EU and Serbia until it can be established that Belgrade is co-operating fully with the International War Crimes tribunal in The Hague.

"This development illustrates the commitment of the new government in Belgrade to contribute to peace and stability in the Balkans regions. It is a significant step on Serbia's path towards the EU. The council encourages the Serbian government to continue along that path," EU ministers said after a monthly meeting in Brussels.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said he thought the arrest of the man wanted for planning and ordering Europe's worst atrocities since the second World War showed Belgrade was willing to co-operate fully with the court.

This was the precondition set by EU states in April for implementing a deal on the SAA with Serbia, putting it fully on track to membership of the union.

EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn said he favoured implementing the SAA agreement following the arrest of Karadzic. "While recognising that it is the council's right to decide, from the commission's point of view we should start implementing the interim agreement, that is the trade-related part of the SAA agreement now," said Mr Rehn at a news conference with Serbian foreign minister Vuk Jeremic.

In a further sign that the new Serbian government is aiming to improve ties with Brussels, Mr Jeremic said he would recommend to the cabinet in Belgrade that Serbia's ambassadors to EU member states should be returned. Serbia withdrew ambassadors when EU states recognised Kosovo's independence.

But EU ministers delayed any move to immediately lift the block on ratification of the SAA agreement. The Netherlands and Belgium both insisted that any such step should be linked to an overall review of Serbia's co-operation by UN chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz.

Dutch Europe minister Frans Timmermans said The Netherlands would look at any proposal from Mr Rehn. But for a full implementation of SAA, he said other criteria - notably the pursuit of the Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic - would be taken into account.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times