EU ministers talk Balkans

EU foreign ministers are meeting in the Czech Republic for an informal meeting, where they have been joined by their Balkan counterparts. The Serbian delegation is led by FM Vuk Jeremic, and includes the head of the government EU association office, Milica Delevic. EU ministers talk Balkans The Czech Republic, UK, Slovakia and Luxembourg have rejected Germany's proposal to postpone accession of Western Balkans countries into the EU. Czech FM Karel Schwarzenberg said that Europe should be "united as soon as possible and heal the open wound in the Balkans". He was supported by his British counterpart David Miliband who said that London's position is "absolutely clear" and that further expansion of the union is in its own interest as well as in the interest of the Balkans. The summit today also heard that Brussels is awaiting a new report from Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammertz who was in Belgrade earlier this week, and that his positive report could help unfreeze the SAA between Serbia and the EU. "The door is not closed, while the road to the EU has possibly been slowed down. The economic situation is difficult, it is important that there is the political will for expansion," commented Jeremic. "This process is in a difficult situation," he said of EU expansion. "However, the political will is there and that is good news. We in the Western Balkans are not giving up on the EU, and the Union is not giving up on the Western Balkans." The minister also said that Serbia will "certainly" submit its candidate status bid, but would not mention any timeframe for this. Serbia did not object to Skender Hyseni's participation at the summit today, Jeremic explained, because the Kosovo Albanian government's foreign minister came as a member of the UNMIK delegation led by the UN mission's chief Lamberto Zannier. The Czech Republic, holding the rotating EU presidency, said earlier that the Western Balkans integration into this organization was its priority – however, this is complicated by the economic crisis. Delevic said ahead of her trip that despite this "the enlargement is not being brought into question", and that Serbia "will get a message of that kind". She also told B92 that the EU is "committed" to the Balkans, but that it is important for Brussels "to continue making signals that it is committed to the Westerns Balkans' integration, but also to help in a concrete way the reform policies". Meanwhile, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn warned that the Balkans could turn into a black hole if the EU slows down its enlargement plans due to the economic crisis. "We should not give up on our praiseworthy effort toward peace and stability in the Balkans," he told the BBC. "I am appealing on all politicians in Europe to bear this joint responsibility in mind, because it is in the very interest of the EU for the Balkans not to become sort of a black hole within it." EU foreign ministers tried Friday to reassure Balkan nations about their European future after German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a pause in EU enlargement. "The door to the EU has not been closed," said British Foreign Secretary David Miliband as he arrived for talks with his European counterparts at Hluboka castle in the southern Czech Republic. Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger said that the process of EU enlargement to Western Balkans should not be halted. He expressed hope that the EU FMs will make it clear that the EU should not show fatigue regarding integration of Western Balkan countries as it would mean also fatigue in implementing reforms in that part of Europe. The EU must not reduce its endeavors to that end, he said. "There is no reason to stop anything," stressed Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak. "If we shut the door there will be new conflicts in the Balkans," Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn warned. Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb also believes that the EU must honor its commitments and the prospects it has offered and that Western Balkan countries will be in the EU in a few years.

EU ministers talk Balkans

The Czech Republic, UK, Slovakia and Luxembourg have rejected Germany's proposal to postpone accession of Western Balkans countries into the EU.

Czech FM Karel Schwarzenberg said that Europe should be "united as soon as possible and heal the open wound in the Balkans".

He was supported by his British counterpart David Miliband who said that London's position is "absolutely clear" and that further expansion of the union is in its own interest as well as in the interest of the Balkans.

The summit today also heard that Brussels is awaiting a new report from Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammertz who was in Belgrade earlier this week, and that his positive report could help unfreeze the SAA between Serbia and the EU.

"The door is not closed, while the road to the EU has possibly been slowed down. The economic situation is difficult, it is important that there is the political will for expansion," commented Jeremić.

"This process is in a difficult situation," he said of EU expansion. "However, the political will is there and that is good news. We in the Western Balkans are not giving up on the EU, and the Union is not giving up on the Western Balkans."

The minister also said that Serbia will "certainly" submit its candidate status bid, but would not mention any timeframe for this.

Serbia did not object to Skender Hyseni's participation at the summit today, Jeremić explained, because the Kosovo Albanian government's foreign minister came as a member of the UNMIK delegation led by the UN mission's chief Lamberto Zannier.

The Czech Republic, holding the rotating EU presidency, said earlier that the Western Balkans integration into this organization was its priority – however, this is complicated by the economic crisis.

Delević said ahead of her trip that despite this "the enlargement is not being brought into question", and that Serbia "will get a message of that kind".

She also told B92 that the EU is "committed" to the Balkans, but that it is important for Brussels "to continue making signals that it is committed to the Westerns Balkans' integration, but also to help in a concrete way the reform policies".

Meanwhile, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn warned that the Balkans could turn into a black hole if the EU slows down its enlargement plans due to the economic crisis.

"We should not give up on our praiseworthy effort toward peace and stability in the Balkans," he told the BBC. "I am appealing on all politicians in Europe to bear this joint responsibility in mind, because it is in the very interest of the EU for the Balkans not to become sort of a black hole within it."

EU foreign ministers tried Friday to reassure Balkan nations about their European future after German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a pause in EU enlargement.

"The door to the EU has not been closed," said British Foreign Secretary David Miliband as he arrived for talks with his European counterparts at Hluboka castle in the southern Czech Republic.

Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger said that the process of EU enlargement to Western Balkans should not be halted.

He expressed hope that the EU FMs will make it clear that the EU should not show fatigue regarding integration of Western Balkan countries as it would mean also fatigue in implementing reforms in that part of Europe.

The EU must not reduce its endeavors to that end, he said.

"There is no reason to stop anything," stressed Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčak.

"If we shut the door there will be new conflicts in the Balkans," Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn warned.

Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb also believes that the EU must honor its commitments and the prospects it has offered and that Western Balkan countries will be in the EU in a few years.