EU-Western Balkans conference in Sarajevo

48 delegations, including foreign ministers of the Western Balkan countries, gathered in Sarajevo today for the European Union-Western Balkans conference. The closed-door informal gathering was sponsored by the Spanish presidency of the EU. EU-Western Balkans conference in Sarajevo The EU membership of entire West Balkans remains a common goal of EU and the region, it was stated in Sarajevo on Wednesday. The West Balkans has to intensify its efforts to fulfill the necessary criteria and arranged preconditions for the EU accession, read a Spanish EU presidency statement. Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said today in the Bosnian capital that was is time for the Western Balkans to move forward and that the EU would do everything it can to strengthen the European perspective of the region. He added that more effort and responsibility would need to be put in by all partners, in order for complete reconciliation to be achieved in the region, as well as progress so that steps can be taken to attain the higher goals of the region. Moratinos said that a special EU envoy does not have to be named for the Western Balkans and that the responsibility for progress needs to be taken by each country individually, but through regional cooperation and cooperation with the EU. European Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele said that the conference in Sarajevo sends a picture of new efforts and success and the EU’s support of further enlargement, which should be an added stimulus for further progress of the region toward European integration. He said that there were “no direct ties between Serbia and Kosovo on the path toward the EU”, stressing that the EU “will act according to UN Security Council Resolution 1244 as far as Kosovo is concerned”. “We will wait for the verdict of the International Court of Justice and monitor the political process that will follow,” Fuele said. The highest UN court is expected to give its opinion of the legality of the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration later this year. Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said that the conference in Sarajevo sent an important and clear message that the Western Balkans was ready to continue their European integration. He said that there were concrete talks regarding the start of the ratification process for the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) between Serbia and the EU, adding that it is yet to be seen whether a consensus would be reached regarding that issue at the June 14 meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the EU member-states in Luxembourg. “The Serbian government will not change its policy or accept the participation of Kosovo interim institutions in disrespect of the UN Security Council,” he said. “Kosovo will be a topic for the International Court of Justice (ICJ), whose ruling everyone expects with impatience,” Jeremic concluded. The Serbian team arrives at the conference (Tanjug) Expectations Ahead of the meeting today, reports said that regional foreign ministers were expected to convince representatives of the European Union, United States of America, Russia, Turkey and international organizations that the relations in the region were improving. At the same time, regional countries would receive a clear message of support to their Euro-Atlantic integrations, said reports. Integration of the countries of South East Europe into the EU, regional cooperation, relations among neighboring countries, implementation of reforms in the region states, as well as consequences of the world economic crisis were all announced as the topics to be discussed at the meeting. Vuk Jeremic said earlier on Wednesday that he expected a clear signal that the process of European integration of the Western Balkans must not be stopped to be sent out from the conference. According to him, major progress had been made in the area of political relations and reconciliation in the region over the past six months, and that the situation in the Balkans is stable. "It would really be a big mistake if this would not be followed not only by a continuation but also by an acceleration of the process of European integrations," said Jeremic. The final declaration of the conference has been harmonized by EU officials, without participation of those from the region. The document will stress the need to solve open regional issues through dialog, said reports. One key question that threatened to turn the gathering into a fiasco was the status of the Kosovo Albanian delegation. Belgrade insisted that Serbia's sovereignty be respected by insuring that the Pristina delegation's presence does not violate UN Resolution 1244. The problem was solved “with a typical European way of finding a compromise at any cost”m, says our reporter. It was announced last month that participants would not be represented by flags or state emblems – but under the so-called Gymnich format, with only their personal names displayed. EU officials on conference The European Union-Western Balkans ministerial conference, which will be held in Sarajevo today, has been conceived in such a way to encourage European integrations of the region as a whole and to give a new impulse to the enlargement of the European Union to Western Balkans, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has stated. The conference will confirm that all countries of the Western Balkans have a vocation to join the European Union, said Minister Kouchner in an interview published by Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti on Wednesday, adding, however, that the meeting will also remind the Balkan countries of the efforts the EU is expecting of them to make. “The countries have to continue reforms, because enlargement is a demanding process. I know that Serbia is strongly engaged on that path and I am glad for that. The region countries also have to turn the page of the painful history in order to be fully dedicated to their European future. We particularly refer to Serbia and Kosovo, which have the same intent to join the EU,” said Kouchner. The ministerial conference, which is being held in Sarajevo today, will give a fresh impulse to the region's progress towards the EU, EU High Representative for Foreign Affaires and Security Policy Catherine Ashton has stated. The conference is an opportunity for the European Union to confirm its strong orientation for the region as a whole, in keeping with the Treaty of Lisbon, Ashton said in a statement with the Banjaluka-based Glas Srpske daily. The Sarajevo meeting will not only confirm the European future of the Western Balkans, but will also give a fresh impulse for the region's progress towards the EU, said Ashton. “The relations within the region are better than they had been for a long time, and this conference may support the progress additionally,” evaluated Ashton, underscoring that the conference is also a unique opportunity for Bosnia-Herzegovina to promote and encourage regional cooperation, since it will be in the focus of European politicians and media.

EU-Western Balkans conference in Sarajevo

The EU membership of entire West Balkans remains a common goal of EU and the region, it was stated in Sarajevo on Wednesday.

The West Balkans has to intensify its efforts to fulfill the necessary criteria and arranged preconditions for the EU accession, read a Spanish EU presidency statement.

Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said today in the Bosnian capital that was is time for the Western Balkans to move forward and that the EU would do everything it can to strengthen the European perspective of the region.

He added that more effort and responsibility would need to be put in by all partners, in order for complete reconciliation to be achieved in the region, as well as progress so that steps can be taken to attain the higher goals of the region.

Moratinos said that a special EU envoy does not have to be named for the Western Balkans and that the responsibility for progress needs to be taken by each country individually, but through regional cooperation and cooperation with the EU.

European Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele said that the conference in Sarajevo sends a picture of new efforts and success and the EU’s support of further enlargement, which should be an added stimulus for further progress of the region toward European integration.

He said that there were “no direct ties between Serbia and Kosovo on the path toward the EU”, stressing that the EU “will act according to UN Security Council Resolution 1244 as far as Kosovo is concerned”.

“We will wait for the verdict of the International Court of Justice and monitor the political process that will follow,” Fuele said.

The highest UN court is expected to give its opinion of the legality of the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration later this year.

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić said that the conference in Sarajevo sent an important and clear message that the Western Balkans was ready to continue their European integration.

He said that there were concrete talks regarding the start of the ratification process for the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) between Serbia and the EU, adding that it is yet to be seen whether a consensus would be reached regarding that issue at the June 14 meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the EU member-states in Luxembourg.

“The Serbian government will not change its policy or accept the participation of Kosovo interim institutions in disrespect of the UN Security Council,” he said.

“Kosovo will be a topic for the International Court of Justice (ICJ), whose ruling everyone expects with impatience,” Jeremić concluded.

Expectations

Ahead of the meeting today, reports said that regional foreign ministers were expected to convince representatives of the European Union, United States of America, Russia, Turkey and international organizations that the relations in the region were improving.

At the same time, regional countries would receive a clear message of support to their Euro-Atlantic integrations, said reports.

Integration of the countries of South East Europe into the EU, regional cooperation, relations among neighboring countries, implementation of reforms in the region states, as well as consequences of the world economic crisis were all announced as the topics to be discussed at the meeting.

Vuk Jeremić said earlier on Wednesday that he expected a clear signal that the process of European integration of the Western Balkans must not be stopped to be sent out from the conference.

According to him, major progress had been made in the area of political relations and reconciliation in the region over the past six months, and that the situation in the Balkans is stable.

"It would really be a big mistake if this would not be followed not only by a continuation but also by an acceleration of the process of European integrations," said Jeremić.

The final declaration of the conference has been harmonized by EU officials, without participation of those from the region. The document will stress the need to solve open regional issues through dialog, said reports.

One key question that threatened to turn the gathering into a fiasco was the status of the Kosovo Albanian delegation. Belgrade insisted that Serbia's sovereignty be respected by insuring that the Priština delegation's presence does not violate UN Resolution 1244.

The problem was solved “with a typical European way of finding a compromise at any cost”m, says our reporter. It was announced last month that participants would not be represented by flags or state emblems – but under the so-called Gymnich format, with only their personal names displayed.

EU officials on conference

The European Union-Western Balkans ministerial conference, which will be held in Sarajevo today, has been conceived in such a way to encourage European integrations of the region as a whole and to give a new impulse to the enlargement of the European Union to Western Balkans, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has stated.

The conference will confirm that all countries of the Western Balkans have a vocation to join the European Union, said Minister Kouchner in an interview published by Belgrade daily Večernje Novosti on Wednesday, adding, however, that the meeting will also remind the Balkan countries of the efforts the EU is expecting of them to make.

“The countries have to continue reforms, because enlargement is a demanding process. I know that Serbia is strongly engaged on that path and I am glad for that. The region countries also have to turn the page of the painful history in order to be fully dedicated to their European future. We particularly refer to Serbia and Kosovo, which have the same intent to join the EU,” said Kouchner.

The ministerial conference, which is being held in Sarajevo today, will give a fresh impulse to the region's progress towards the EU, EU High Representative for Foreign Affaires and Security Policy Catherine Ashton has stated.

The conference is an opportunity for the European Union to confirm its strong orientation for the region as a whole, in keeping with the Treaty of Lisbon, Ashton said in a statement with the Banjaluka-based Glas Srpske daily.

The Sarajevo meeting will not only confirm the European future of the Western Balkans, but will also give a fresh impulse for the region's progress towards the EU, said Ashton.

“The relations within the region are better than they had been for a long time, and this conference may support the progress additionally,” evaluated Ashton, underscoring that the conference is also a unique opportunity for Bosnia-Herzegovina to promote and encourage regional cooperation, since it will be in the focus of European politicians and media.