Conclusions "favorable", decision on Friday

A Polish Foreigh Ministry official has stated that conclusions reached at the meeting of the EU Council of Ministers on Serbia's candidate status are favorable. However, speaking early on Tuesday, Polish MFA State Secretary Mikolaj Dowgielewicz added that final decision will be made at the EU council on Friday. Conclusions "favorable", decision on Friday The council welcomed the opinion of the European Commission (EC) whereby Serbia deserves the candidate status, Dowgielewicz said at a press conference held late on Monday, after the meeting which lasted over six hours. The factors taken into consideration were Serbia's satisfactory cooperation with the ICTY, internal reforms, as well as its active role in regional reconciliation, stated the official of Poland, which is currently holding the EU Presidency. Dowgielewicz said that the ministers agreed that improvement of relations between Serbia and Kosovo is an unstoppable process, which will continue. He underlined that Austria's proposal to grant Serbia a conditional candidate status was not accepted. EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said that the long and constructive debate held at the council of Ministers reflects the significance that the EU member states attach to the enlargement process. According to Fule, the formulation of conclusions was affected by recent positive news on the removal of barricades in northern Kosovo, as well as the agreement on crossings reached last weekend. The conclusions reflect the position that Belgrade has been fully engaged in the dialogue with Pristina, Fule said. The conclusions given to journalists after the meeting state that the council underlines a full support for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and welcomes the agreements reached so far. In the light of the progress Serbia has achieved so far, and bearing in mind that the country has already been engaged in the continuance of the dialogue and advances fast in good faith so as to implement the agreements, the council takes into account the Commission's positive attitude and recommendation for granting Serbia an EU candidate status, the document reads. The document also states that the council expects Serbia to deal with the issue of regional cooperation. The conclusions further state the EC's conditions for determining the date for the beginning of accession talks with Serbia. The conditions include visible and sustainable improvement in relations with Kosovo, with full respect for the principle of inclusive regional cooperation and articles of the Agreement on the Energy Community, reaching a solution for the telecommunications issue, continuance of implementation of the reached agreements in good faith, and, finally, an active cooperation with EULEX. The council calls on the Commission to present the report on Serbia's progress in terms of meeting the criteria as soon as sufficient progress is made.

Conclusions "favorable", decision on Friday

The council welcomed the opinion of the European Commission (EC) whereby Serbia deserves the candidate status, Dowgielewicz said at a press conference held late on Monday, after the meeting which lasted over six hours.

The factors taken into consideration were Serbia's satisfactory cooperation with the ICTY, internal reforms, as well as its active role in regional reconciliation, stated the official of Poland, which is currently holding the EU Presidency.

Dowgielewicz said that the ministers agreed that improvement of relations between Serbia and Kosovo is an unstoppable process, which will continue.

He underlined that Austria's proposal to grant Serbia a conditional candidate status was not accepted.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said that the long and constructive debate held at the council of Ministers reflects the significance that the EU member states attach to the enlargement process.

According to Fule, the formulation of conclusions was affected by recent positive news on the removal of barricades in northern Kosovo, as well as the agreement on crossings reached last weekend.

The conclusions reflect the position that Belgrade has been fully engaged in the dialogue with Priština, Fule said.

The conclusions given to journalists after the meeting state that the council underlines a full support for the Belgrade-Priština dialogue and welcomes the agreements reached so far.

In the light of the progress Serbia has achieved so far, and bearing in mind that the country has already been engaged in the continuance of the dialogue and advances fast in good faith so as to implement the agreements, the council takes into account the Commission's positive attitude and recommendation for granting Serbia an EU candidate status, the document reads.

The document also states that the council expects Serbia to deal with the issue of regional cooperation.

The conclusions further state the EC's conditions for determining the date for the beginning of accession talks with Serbia.

The conditions include visible and sustainable improvement in relations with Kosovo, with full respect for the principle of inclusive regional cooperation and articles of the Agreement on the Energy Community, reaching a solution for the telecommunications issue, continuance of implementation of the reached agreements in good faith, and, finally, an active cooperation with EULEX.

The council calls on the Commission to present the report on Serbia's progress in terms of meeting the criteria as soon as sufficient progress is made.