Rehn: Not time to speculate on Kosovo condition

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn says the European Commission has no jurisdiction to recognize any state.

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Sunday, 15.06.2008.

21:46

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EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn says the European Commission has no jurisdiction to recognize any state. Instead, the Finnish politician continued in Brussels today, the EU body will work on Kosovo's economic development. Rehn: Not time to speculate on Kosovo condition Rehn also said that now is not the time "to speculate whether recognizing Kosovo might become a condition for Serbia to join the EU", since there are numerous conditions that must be met, "mostly related to securing peace in the region". The EU commissioner added that the solution to the Kosovo status must in no way jeopardize the stability of the Western Balkans. "The process of determining Kosovo's status is very difficult and therefore it is important that this process be finished in a way that does not endanger stability in the region, and materializes a European perspective for the whole region." "We have conditions for every candidate or potential candidate country for EU membership and we expect them to respect and fulfill these conditions in a way that contributes to good neighborly relations," Rehn was quoted as saying. He added that "Serbia has a very ambitious plan" to become a candidate by the end of the year, but that cooperation with the Hague Tribunal and extradition of indicted war criminals must take place in order for the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) to be implemented. "We are ready to do everything in order for Serbia to receive the candidate status as early as possible. However, a [Serbian] government must be formed first, meet the well known conditions, start applying the SAA, work on the liberalization of the visa regime and only then can we discuss the candidate status. I hope this will be as soon as possible, but, still, this is up to Serbia and her authorities," he continued. Commenting on the conditions for easing the visa regime the EU has imposed on Serbia, Rehn said that according to the information he received those are being realized, including border control, introduction of biometric passports and fight against corruption. Olli Rehn (Tanjug, archive)

Rehn: Not time to speculate on Kosovo condition

Rehn also said that now is not the time "to speculate whether recognizing Kosovo might become a condition for Serbia to join the EU", since there are numerous conditions that must be met, "mostly related to securing peace in the region".

The EU commissioner added that the solution to the Kosovo status must in no way jeopardize the stability of the Western Balkans.

"The process of determining Kosovo's status is very difficult and therefore it is important that this process be finished in a way that does not endanger stability in the region, and materializes a European perspective for the whole region."

"We have conditions for every candidate or potential candidate country for EU membership and we expect them to respect and fulfill these conditions in a way that contributes to good neighborly relations," Rehn was quoted as saying.

He added that "Serbia has a very ambitious plan" to become a candidate by the end of the year, but that cooperation with the Hague Tribunal and extradition of indicted war criminals must take place in order for the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) to be implemented.

"We are ready to do everything in order for Serbia to receive the candidate status as early as possible. However, a [Serbian] government must be formed first, meet the well known conditions, start applying the SAA, work on the liberalization of the visa regime and only then can we discuss the candidate status. I hope this will be as soon as possible, but, still, this is up to Serbia and her authorities," he continued.

Commenting on the conditions for easing the visa regime the EU has imposed on Serbia, Rehn said that according to the information he received those are being realized, including border control, introduction of biometric passports and fight against corruption.

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