Decision on talks date expected this week

BELGRADE Serbia expects a decision this week to begin negotiations with the EU, and this will first be discussed in Luxembourg, then in Berlin and finally, in Brussels. The first in a series of key meetings will be held by EU foreign ministers, who will in Luxembourg discuss the Western Balkans during a meeting of the Council on Foreign Relations. Decision on talks date expected this week According to reports, "special focus will be on relations with Serbia and Kosovo,while conclusions on the possible decision to start membership talks with Serbia and on giving the SAA to Kosovo will be adopted tomorrow." According to this the decision "will be positive" and will say that negotiations should be started, that is, that the European Commission should prepare the rules for the negotiating framework. However, there is no agreement as to when the process should begin. "There is no doubt that our country will be given a date to start accession negotiations with the EU, but it is only a matter of when and according to what procedure," Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic was quoted as saying over the weekend. According to unofficial information, Serbia and some EU countries, about 12 - according to Serbian officials - believe that this should be in October. At the same time, the European Commission and a number of members considered that December is a more realistic option, and it seems that Germany and Holland hold the view that the negotiations could begin in January 2014 at the earliest. "In the next 48 hours important meetings at the EU level will be held. Catherine Ashton will on Monday submit a report, and I do not even know anymore who will submit reports to whom in the coming days," is what Serbia's First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic told a B92 TV talks show late on Sunday. EU foreign policy chief Ashton, together with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule, has already sent a report on a Friday, and it is now up to EU foreign ministers to make a decision. The letter stated that Belgrade and Pristina achieved "significant progress in the normalization of relations." However, it is believed that the decision to be made in Berlin is much more important, and it should happen between the sessions of the Council of Ministers and the European Council session. The German parliament's Committee for European Affairs should on Wednesday determine a proposal on whether Belgrade "has met its obligations," and a day later, lawmakers will vote on the proposal. According to some information, "Berlin's decision" could be known as early as Tuesday, because that faction of the ruling coalition of the CDU-CSU should decide what attitude to adopt towards Serbia. EU heads of state and government will then make their decision on June 28. During the final days of this process the Serbian diplomacy will have their hands full, so Parliament Speaker Nebojsa Stefanovic is in Germany, while according to Vecernje Novosti Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, one of his deputies Suzana Grubjesic and Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic will travel to Brussels on Wednesday. (Beta/AP, file) B92 Beta Tanjug

Decision on talks date expected this week

According to reports, "special focus will be on relations with Serbia and Kosovo,while conclusions on the possible decision to start membership talks with Serbia and on giving the SAA to Kosovo will be adopted tomorrow."

According to this the decision "will be positive" and will say that negotiations should be started, that is, that the European Commission should prepare the rules for the negotiating framework. However, there is no agreement as to when the process should begin.

"There is no doubt that our country will be given a date to start accession negotiations with the EU, but it is only a matter of when and according to what procedure," Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić was quoted as saying over the weekend.

According to unofficial information, Serbia and some EU countries, about 12 - according to Serbian officials - believe that this should be in October. At the same time, the European Commission and a number of members considered that December is a more realistic option, and it seems that Germany and Holland hold the view that the negotiations could begin in January 2014 at the earliest.

"In the next 48 hours important meetings at the EU level will be held. Catherine Ashton will on Monday submit a report, and I do not even know anymore who will submit reports to whom in the coming days," is what Serbia's First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić told a B92 TV talks show late on Sunday.

EU foreign policy chief Ashton, together with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule, has already sent a report on a Friday, and it is now up to EU foreign ministers to make a decision. The letter stated that Belgrade and Priština achieved "significant progress in the normalization of relations."

However, it is believed that the decision to be made in Berlin is much more important, and it should happen between the sessions of the Council of Ministers and the European Council session.

The German parliament's Committee for European Affairs should on Wednesday determine a proposal on whether Belgrade "has met its obligations," and a day later, lawmakers will vote on the proposal.

According to some information, "Berlin's decision" could be known as early as Tuesday, because that faction of the ruling coalition of the CDU-CSU should decide what attitude to adopt towards Serbia.

EU heads of state and government will then make their decision on June 28.

During the final days of this process the Serbian diplomacy will have their hands full, so Parliament Speaker Nebojša Stefanović is in Germany, while according to Večernje Novosti Prime Minister Ivica Dačić, one of his deputies Suzana Grubješić and Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkić will travel to Brussels on Wednesday.