EU "cautious over trade agreement"

EU foreign ministers will consider on Monday in Brussels putting into effect the temporary trade agreement with Serbia. With that purpose in mind the French EU Presidency is in contact with Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz, EU Council of Ministers officials told Beta news agency on Thursday. EU "cautious over trade agreement" These officials said that "for now, the outcome of the EU ministerial meeting regarding the agreement with Serbia must be waited for with caution," even though, apart from the Netherlands, practically every European Union member state and institution is in favor of the trade agreement being put into effect. They emphasized that this was discussed at the meeting of ambassadors, between the permanent representatives of the EU member countries on Sept. 11, and they also said that the ambassadors had decided to find out from Brammertz whether "there has been any improvement that might allow preparation of the trade act in the Stabilization and Association Agreement to begin." If a decision is reached on preparing the agreement with Serbia, then, as was stated, EU member foreign ministries would issue a declaration on relations with Serbia. "Considerable changes in the stances of the EU 27 were not noticed today [Sept. 11]," said Beta's European sources, emphasizing that Brammertz's perception of the achieved level of cooperation between Belgrade and the Hague tribunal will be important to the ministers' decision. Holland has so far asked the Hague prosecutor for firm evidence that Belgrade has been cooperating with the Tribunal, “and it’s not out of the question that Chief Prosecutor Brammertz will, after consulting the French EU Presidency, give his opinion to experts, and then to EU foreign ministers, even though for the time being, that has not yet been planned.” The French EU Presidency announced yesterday that besides the debate on the Georgian crisis, which would top the agenda, one of the items for discussion would also be the situation in Serbia following the arrest of Radovan Karadzic, and the prospects for EU-Serbia relations in that light. According to the internet magazine Euro-Observer, the EU has not been able to award Serbia more tangibly for the arrest of Karadzic due to Dutch and, to a lesser extent, Belgian opposition. The only reward Serbia got from the EU, Euro-Observer writes, was “encouragement for the Serbian government to stick to the same course.” Serge Brammertz in Belgrade two days ago (FoNet, archive)

EU "cautious over trade agreement"

These officials said that "for now, the outcome of the EU ministerial meeting regarding the agreement with Serbia must be waited for with caution," even though, apart from the Netherlands, practically every European Union member state and institution is in favor of the trade agreement being put into effect.

They emphasized that this was discussed at the meeting of ambassadors, between the permanent representatives of the EU member countries on Sept. 11, and they also said that the ambassadors had decided to find out from Brammertz whether "there has been any improvement that might allow preparation of the trade act in the Stabilization and Association Agreement to begin."

If a decision is reached on preparing the agreement with Serbia, then, as was stated, EU member foreign ministries would issue a declaration on relations with Serbia.

"Considerable changes in the stances of the EU 27 were not noticed today [Sept. 11]," said Beta's European sources, emphasizing that Brammertz's perception of the achieved level of cooperation between Belgrade and the Hague tribunal will be important to the ministers' decision.

Holland has so far asked the Hague prosecutor for firm evidence that Belgrade has been cooperating with the Tribunal, “and it’s not out of the question that Chief Prosecutor Brammertz will, after consulting the French EU Presidency, give his opinion to experts, and then to EU foreign ministers, even though for the time being, that has not yet been planned.”

The French EU Presidency announced yesterday that besides the debate on the Georgian crisis, which would top the agenda, one of the items for discussion would also be the situation in Serbia following the arrest of Radovan Karadžić, and the prospects for EU-Serbia relations in that light.

According to the internet magazine Euro-Observer, the EU has not been able to award Serbia more tangibly for the arrest of Karadžić due to Dutch and, to a lesser extent, Belgian opposition. The only reward Serbia got from the EU, Euro-Observer writes, was “encouragement for the Serbian government to stick to the same course.”