Italian FM: No more postponements

Italian FM Franco Frattini says unfreezing of the Interim Trade Agreement with the EU and ratification of the SAA are issues "that can no longer be postponed". Frattini spoke to Tanjug news agency in Rome, ahead of his visit to Serbia, scheduled for June 8. Italian FM: No more postponements "The EU should recognize and accept positive signals received from Serbia over the past months and should crown Serbia's efforts with the status of candidate for EU membership," he was quoted as saying. "Great progress has been made in the past ten years to that end, but it is easy to understand the impatience of Serbia's citizens," he said. One of the countries dissatisfied with the rate of Western Balkans' integration in the EU is precisely Italy, which is doing everything to overcome the resistance some in the EU are feeling, the minister continued. He noted that the goal of his visit to Belgrade is to urge all to work together to remove the remaining obstacles. Asked what he expects of the EU Council of Ministers session on June 15 and 16, Frattini responded that in his opinion, unfreezing of the Interim Trade Agreement with the EU and ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement are steps that can no longer be postponed. He added that he conferred last week in Rome with the Dutch foreign minister and, after hearing his views, explained to him the strategic importance of the decision the EU should take to open its doors to friends in Serbia. "This is not only in the interest of Italy, but of the whole EU," he said. As for inclusion of Serbia in the so-called white Schengen list, the Italian foreign minister believes that Serbia has fulfilled all conditions of the EC for cancellation of visas and that visa liberalization should be realized in 2009. "Italy will do everything to help Serbia realize this goal in 2009," he was quoted. The time has come to pull down the barrier between the people in the Balkans and the EU, Frattini continued, noting that this is the basic premise of his eight-year plan for accelerating the fostering of closer ties between Western Balkans and the EU. Asked how the reservations of some countries regarding the issuing of Serbian passports to Kosovo residents, he said that the European Commission is considering this issue together with Belgrade and seeking the means of meeting the roadmap parameters. Frattini, who will visit Serbia together with Romanian Foreign Ministers Cristian Diaconescu, said that another goal of the visit will be to foster integrated economic and trade development in the region together with Serbia and Romania to the benefit of all its citizens. As regards bilateral relations, he said they are "historically very close" and that Italy and Serbia share "deep feelings of human and cultural togetherness". Bilateral military cooperation is a "model for developed cooperation", he said, noting that Serbian officers will "shortly join the Italian contingent in the peace mission in Afghanistan". "This is something that both countries can be proud of," Frattini added, according to Tanjug.

Italian FM: No more postponements

"The EU should recognize and accept positive signals received from Serbia over the past months and should crown Serbia's efforts with the status of candidate for EU membership," he was quoted as saying.

"Great progress has been made in the past ten years to that end, but it is easy to understand the impatience of Serbia's citizens," he said.

One of the countries dissatisfied with the rate of Western Balkans' integration in the EU is precisely Italy, which is doing everything to overcome the resistance some in the EU are feeling, the minister continued.

He noted that the goal of his visit to Belgrade is to urge all to work together to remove the remaining obstacles.

Asked what he expects of the EU Council of Ministers session on June 15 and 16, Frattini responded that in his opinion, unfreezing of the Interim Trade Agreement with the EU and ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement are steps that can no longer be postponed.

He added that he conferred last week in Rome with the Dutch foreign minister and, after hearing his views, explained to him the strategic importance of the decision the EU should take to open its doors to friends in Serbia.

"This is not only in the interest of Italy, but of the whole EU," he said.

As for inclusion of Serbia in the so-called white Schengen list, the Italian foreign minister believes that Serbia has fulfilled all conditions of the EC for cancellation of visas and that visa liberalization should be realized in 2009.

"Italy will do everything to help Serbia realize this goal in 2009," he was quoted.

The time has come to pull down the barrier between the people in the Balkans and the EU, Frattini continued, noting that this is the basic premise of his eight-year plan for accelerating the fostering of closer ties between Western Balkans and the EU.

Asked how the reservations of some countries regarding the issuing of Serbian passports to Kosovo residents, he said that the European Commission is considering this issue together with Belgrade and seeking the means of meeting the roadmap parameters.

Frattini, who will visit Serbia together with Romanian Foreign Ministers Cristian Diaconescu, said that another goal of the visit will be to foster integrated economic and trade development in the region together with Serbia and Romania to the benefit of all its citizens.

As regards bilateral relations, he said they are "historically very close" and that Italy and Serbia share "deep feelings of human and cultural togetherness".

Bilateral military cooperation is a "model for developed cooperation", he said, noting that Serbian officers will "shortly join the Italian contingent in the peace mission in Afghanistan".

"This is something that both countries can be proud of," Frattini added, according to Tanjug.