Rehn: EU, Serbia to resume talks

I'm deeply ashamed of being a EU citizen. The EU is always ready to compromise on the principles, I'm 100% sure that now they'll manage to let Serbia join without having Mladic arrested. So we'll have a EU member that harbors war criminals and refuses to arrest them. It would be highly hipocritical at this point to ask Bosnia to arrest alleged terrorists!

Andrea, Last time I checked, the EU was also doing its best to bulldoze through Kosovo's independence despite the systematic and egregious human rights abuses - official and unofficial - perpetrated against its Serbian residents. Not to mention NATO's extensive bombing of civilain targets in Serbia in 1999; the airplanes were based in Aviano. And I served in Iraq in 2003-04 alongside Italian Carabinieri. It's easy to criticize Serbia, but perhaps you should check in the mirror first.

Andrea, you should look at the bigger picture and realize if the EU does not stop busting Serbia's chops over Mladic etc that you will have a Belarus in the middle of the the Balkan peninsula. Unfairness in the treatment of Serbia throughout the last 17yrs have fed the fires of war in that period. Mladic will be arrested if you give Serbia a glimmer of hope. The EU is wise to do this. Now go pick up your broom and get back to work :)

It is realy ashame for the EU that accept this game played by Serbia. This is the same like, instead punishing you reward a criminal as an exchange to stop commiting a crime.

Andrea,
I fully agree with you. It shows that the EU has no principles. It sends a very bad message. It reminds me of Chamberlin and Daladier in 1938. Poor Europe!!

Serbia needs support at this stage in its transition from dictatorship to democracy. Punnishing Serbia just fuels the nationilists and could lead to a much darker future. In 1993 Mladic was declared a war criminal in 1995 the west was shaking his hand, why wasn't he arrested there and then? He will be arrested I do believe that.

It is a shame that Serbia is now further along than Bosnia in EU negotiations even through they knowingly harbour war criminals and supported (weapons/funding/men) the Bosnain Serb forces that caused the death of 100,000's civilians within Bosnia. This shows the true colors of the EU.

To all the einstein's out here who think that Serbia should be isolated need to look at themselves. Germany has a staggering inflation and unemployment rate. Should they still be in the EU? Britain will never adopt the euro nor will Czech Republic. Cyprus has half of its island in political turmoil and war. Let's not even mention what the EU wants to do to Kosovo, yet because Serbia cannot find a "war-criminal" that was not even born in Serbia, never fought IN Serbia, and no one knows where he is, you won't allow Serbia to resume talks? That doesn't make much sense. Just a bunch of xenophobes. You guys are quick to come in and buy up our industry, take our fruits, use our factories, decide our politics, yet you are saying you don't want us in "the club". How about you geniuses go find Mladic if it is that easy. Supposedly you guys have what the best military and intelligence and all that, and you expect little Serbia to do all of that? Come on.

(By the way, French intelligence has been tipping off Mladic on where they are searching next because they hate the British intel. Yet how many French and Brits here are quick to blame Serbia? Too many.)

Serbia has been doing all in it's powers to apprehend all accused - it did in fact hand over Milosevic and many many others. If Mladic is in Serbia then the EU will be assured that Serbia is doing it's utmost. But currently there is no credible evidence to suggest that he is in Serbia or else we would have heard of an arrest! I remind others that Gotovina was arrested on the Spanish Islands and as such he was not surrendered by the Croats nor was he hiding in Croatia despite Del Ponte's insistance of "intelligence" suggesting he was in Croatia. The same is probably the case for Mladic.

Beyond that the US with all it's hundreds upon thousands of troops scattered around the world have not yet found Osama Bin Laden - yet they supposedly have a very effective "intelligence" agency - opps forgot the CIA trained him!

In the end Serbia probably will join the EU. The EU can't afford to have a hole right in the middle, and the Serbs are surrounded by EU countries. Deals will be made and compromises are the game. I personally am not against EU membership for Serbia overall, as long as Serbia goes in on its' terms, retains sovereignty and close relations with Russia, Serbs true and most trusted ally. I do question the EU democratic values. On the surface it looks democratic, and individual countries may be democratic, however, decisions that are made by EU bodies tend to be quit undemocratic, and larger nations tend to dominate smaller ones. That is something the Serbs should keep a eye on. The United States of Europe is a good idea if practiced properly, and I believe it will replace the U.S. as the worlds Economic & Military SUPERPOWER, or HYPERPOWER.

I expect Serbia to fully achieve the EU's recommendations in the coming years. The nation is still in transition and nothing happens overnight without intensive struggle. But to me, EU membership is just a formality anyway...as if you're a part of some club really. But there's nothing wrong with that at all, as I as a Serb want Serbia to communicate and to connect with its natural neighbors in Europe.

But I don't know how beneficial EU membership really is. So to me, EU membership is not an ends to a solution, it's more of a potential means to achieve long-term economic and political stability by way of oversight.

Looks desperate; two so different pictures displayed from the same actor (this time Serbia) towards everything with the prefix West….indeed, when managing to get closer to any of its mechanisms, enthusiasm in Serbia with bloom all over by either relevant or not that important factors. On the other side, when unhappy with anything (from those with the prefix West) that doesn’t fit to actual (or daily) politics, will express their discontent in most harsh manner, distastefully very often.
In my opinion, politics should be carried out more constantly and be pragmatically performed. In this case, grab the offer and proceed towards the future, without hesitation, for sake of the people, who with no doubt seeks better life.

Rick, the EU and the U.S. have bent over backwards to give Serbia a "glimmer of hope" as you note. There are all kinds of assistance and exchange programs, for government and civilians, there are almost daily pronouncements about partnership with a democratic Serbia, and dont forget NATO's Partnership for Peace which Serbia joined earlier this year, plus all the foreign investment. Yet, where are Mladic and Karadzic? I think Western governments are fooling themselves to think these two will EVER show up, unless by complete accident they are discovered. Serbia only loses by hiding them, but Serbia doesnt care. Inat, as Serbs themselves will tell you.

Ana, Karadzic has not been apprehended for over 12 yrs under the noses of your Saintly Western Peacekeepers. They only seriously made any effort in the last few years and only managed to shoot a priest and mess up some houses. Anyone who has studied the whole Yugoslav debacle with an objective eye knows that Serbia has repeatedly got the shaft.

I'm deeply ashamed of being a EU citizen. The EU is always ready to compromise on the principles, I'm 100% sure that now they'll manage to let Serbia join without having Mladic arrested. So we'll have a EU member that harbors war criminals and refuses to arrest them. It would be highly hipocritical at this point to ask Bosnia to arrest alleged terrorists!

Andrea, Last time I checked, the EU was also doing its best to bulldoze through Kosovo's independence despite the systematic and egregious human rights abuses - official and unofficial - perpetrated against its Serbian residents. Not to mention NATO's extensive bombing of civilain targets in Serbia in 1999; the airplanes were based in Aviano. And I served in Iraq in 2003-04 alongside Italian Carabinieri. It's easy to criticize Serbia, but perhaps you should check in the mirror first.

Andrea, you should look at the bigger picture and realize if the EU does not stop busting Serbia's chops over Mladic etc that you will have a Belarus in the middle of the the Balkan peninsula. Unfairness in the treatment of Serbia throughout the last 17yrs have fed the fires of war in that period. Mladic will be arrested if you give Serbia a glimmer of hope. The EU is wise to do this. Now go pick up your broom and get back to work :)

It is realy ashame for the EU that accept this game played by Serbia. This is the same like, instead punishing you reward a criminal as an exchange to stop commiting a crime.

Andrea,
I fully agree with you. It shows that the EU has no principles. It sends a very bad message. It reminds me of Chamberlin and Daladier in 1938. Poor Europe!!

Serbia needs support at this stage in its transition from dictatorship to democracy. Punnishing Serbia just fuels the nationilists and could lead to a much darker future. In 1993 Mladic was declared a war criminal in 1995 the west was shaking his hand, why wasn't he arrested there and then? He will be arrested I do believe that.

It is a shame that Serbia is now further along than Bosnia in EU negotiations even through they knowingly harbour war criminals and supported (weapons/funding/men) the Bosnain Serb forces that caused the death of 100,000's civilians within Bosnia. This shows the true colors of the EU.

To all the einstein's out here who think that Serbia should be isolated need to look at themselves. Germany has a staggering inflation and unemployment rate. Should they still be in the EU? Britain will never adopt the euro nor will Czech Republic. Cyprus has half of its island in political turmoil and war. Let's not even mention what the EU wants to do to Kosovo, yet because Serbia cannot find a "war-criminal" that was not even born in Serbia, never fought IN Serbia, and no one knows where he is, you won't allow Serbia to resume talks? That doesn't make much sense. Just a bunch of xenophobes. You guys are quick to come in and buy up our industry, take our fruits, use our factories, decide our politics, yet you are saying you don't want us in "the club". How about you geniuses go find Mladic if it is that easy. Supposedly you guys have what the best military and intelligence and all that, and you expect little Serbia to do all of that? Come on.

(By the way, French intelligence has been tipping off Mladic on where they are searching next because they hate the British intel. Yet how many French and Brits here are quick to blame Serbia? Too many.)

Serbia has been doing all in it's powers to apprehend all accused - it did in fact hand over Milosevic and many many others. If Mladic is in Serbia then the EU will be assured that Serbia is doing it's utmost. But currently there is no credible evidence to suggest that he is in Serbia or else we would have heard of an arrest! I remind others that Gotovina was arrested on the Spanish Islands and as such he was not surrendered by the Croats nor was he hiding in Croatia despite Del Ponte's insistance of "intelligence" suggesting he was in Croatia. The same is probably the case for Mladic.

Beyond that the US with all it's hundreds upon thousands of troops scattered around the world have not yet found Osama Bin Laden - yet they supposedly have a very effective "intelligence" agency - opps forgot the CIA trained him!

In the end Serbia probably will join the EU. The EU can't afford to have a hole right in the middle, and the Serbs are surrounded by EU countries. Deals will be made and compromises are the game. I personally am not against EU membership for Serbia overall, as long as Serbia goes in on its' terms, retains sovereignty and close relations with Russia, Serbs true and most trusted ally. I do question the EU democratic values. On the surface it looks democratic, and individual countries may be democratic, however, decisions that are made by EU bodies tend to be quit undemocratic, and larger nations tend to dominate smaller ones. That is something the Serbs should keep a eye on. The United States of Europe is a good idea if practiced properly, and I believe it will replace the U.S. as the worlds Economic & Military SUPERPOWER, or HYPERPOWER.

I expect Serbia to fully achieve the EU's recommendations in the coming years. The nation is still in transition and nothing happens overnight without intensive struggle. But to me, EU membership is just a formality anyway...as if you're a part of some club really. But there's nothing wrong with that at all, as I as a Serb want Serbia to communicate and to connect with its natural neighbors in Europe.

But I don't know how beneficial EU membership really is. So to me, EU membership is not an ends to a solution, it's more of a potential means to achieve long-term economic and political stability by way of oversight.

Looks desperate; two so different pictures displayed from the same actor (this time Serbia) towards everything with the prefix West….indeed, when managing to get closer to any of its mechanisms, enthusiasm in Serbia with bloom all over by either relevant or not that important factors. On the other side, when unhappy with anything (from those with the prefix West) that doesn’t fit to actual (or daily) politics, will express their discontent in most harsh manner, distastefully very often.
In my opinion, politics should be carried out more constantly and be pragmatically performed. In this case, grab the offer and proceed towards the future, without hesitation, for sake of the people, who with no doubt seeks better life.

Rick, the EU and the U.S. have bent over backwards to give Serbia a "glimmer of hope" as you note. There are all kinds of assistance and exchange programs, for government and civilians, there are almost daily pronouncements about partnership with a democratic Serbia, and dont forget NATO's Partnership for Peace which Serbia joined earlier this year, plus all the foreign investment. Yet, where are Mladic and Karadzic? I think Western governments are fooling themselves to think these two will EVER show up, unless by complete accident they are discovered. Serbia only loses by hiding them, but Serbia doesnt care. Inat, as Serbs themselves will tell you.

Ana, Karadzic has not been apprehended for over 12 yrs under the noses of your Saintly Western Peacekeepers. They only seriously made any effort in the last few years and only managed to shoot a priest and mess up some houses. Anyone who has studied the whole Yugoslav debacle with an objective eye knows that Serbia has repeatedly got the shaft.