EU ministers praise Serbia, but Dutch remain unmoved

How much more is Serbia expected to do in order to receive something in return? I am not Serbian nor do I live in the Balkans but it seems to me from watching the situation over the past several months that Serbia has bent over backwards to try and accomodate all the pressures and expectations that have been placed upon her and yet still the situation existas where little if any action has been taken to express Europe's willingness to welcome her into the fold. She is geographically part of Europe and is doing all she can to appease the self appointed guardians of the EU. Surely the time has come to offer some kind of substantial sign to all Serbs that the EU is in fact a club built on values and honesty that people should aspire to be a part of. How much effort would it really take to unfreeze the trade agreement or to include Serbia on the White List? That way, at least, Serbs would start to see the benefit of being in the EU in a very real sense and may even cement support within Serbia for continued cooperation with the very institutions that seem to be penalising her unfairly thus far. Come on EU....show some balance and reward good intentions.

He added that “about twenty European foreign ministers will put pressure on the Netherlands to change its position.”

Hmm... And I thought Serbia didn't have any friends in europe :)

This has been said before but Serbia is completely and totally cooperating with the Hague but the Netherlands wants total success. That is unreasonable because for most countries they only have to demonstrate that they are working toward a goal but the Netherlands is demanding total success. They must stop.

UK : "How much effort would it really take to unfreeze the trade agreement or to include Serbia on the White List?"

I tell yuo what it takes. It takes to elect people who would re-laign Serbia towards Russia and would take at least independent stance on EU and NATO. More Serbia gives in to EU pressure, more demand EU will come up with. Isnt't it clear by now ? EU wuill make all concessions to Serbia - when it will see it is losing influence there. Rember how much noise Eurocrats made just before elections where Nikolic could have won ? They feared it...Serbia is way to big chunk of land and way too well positioned for EU to loose it.

Holland will get with program no worries

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU- the fine Dutch people and government are probably the best friends the Serbs have. The Dutch are the only ones who are keeping the Serbs free from the EU- at least for the time being. Hold tough, Mighty Netherlands....don't succumb to pressures from other EU countries!!! Opet hvala!!!

He (Jeremic) added that “about twenty European foreign ministers will put pressure on the Netherlands to change its position.”

He had also added (some months ago) that Malaysia would never recognize Kosovo, as a result of succesful lobbying etc. etc.

Moreover, these 20 FMs have been pressing since months...

I think Jeremic & Co. are not to be trusted anymore.

Check this link, it's really, really interesting

While one can admire his knowledge and education, his words are not to be admired and taken for granted. Having a simple example how he tries to appease his citizens, I have to say that a country does not need a 'leader' whose words do not comply with the truth!

I think that those 20 EU countries Jeremic mentioned in this article are Kosova's friends, but since he considers Kosova still a part of Serbia, you can say they are Serbia's friends as well. But, are they for sure Serbia's friends? You already know the answer.

Greets from Prishtina!

Holland's pigheadedness is having the opposite effect it intends. Serbia can tell you where too much pride gets you. Open up to Serbia and Mladic will be in the Hague in a couple of months.

He added that “about twenty European foreign ministers will put pressure on the Netherlands to change its position.” OR Serbia can arrest the remaining war crime suspects and there will be no need for any lobbying by any countries.

AO KS

The EU does not choose between Kosovo and Serbia. There is no such thing as the EU being one counrty's friend but not the other. The EU is about progress and enlargement, and to tell you the truth, the EU (aside from the Netherlands), does not care about all this war criminal stuff, at least not so much as to limit their progress. If the EU is Kosovo's big friend, why did they succumb to Serbia's EULEX demands and not to Kosovo's? I think you know the answer to this one.

contrary to what the usual suspects say it is entirely wrong to punish the entire country for what a small group of people are doing. i understand that this may be a novel concept for some because hating an entire ethnic group because of the actions of a few extremists seems so natural to them, but it is a key to the process of reconciliation. if you don't treat the entire nation as responsible for crimes of the few you will encourage other members of that nation to disassociate from them. if you use the crimes of the few to demand policies that punish the entire nation you will encourage the opposite. this is precisely what leads to hatred.

it is not the policy of serbian government to protect mladic and if some big players in the past did so this doesn't seem to be the case now. the co-operation is there as far as i can tell, so we can't talk about serbia protecting mladic, but a group of people in serbia doing that. it's a problem comparable to organised crime.

A country where 50% of the population still in 2008 belives that Srebrenica is fictin and refuses to arrest Mladic is light years from EU values Mr UK.

The doube standards of EU and the lifein general is that the victim of Serbia are not even considered for any benefits from EU integration.

Sometimes I belive that EU wold accept even Mladic as PM of Serbis if he says 'I bealive in EY values'. Holand is resisting not because of values and moral but becaouse of her consciousnes.

UK,

Serbia is going to have to do everything from surrendering Ratko Mladic to promising not to obstruct Kosovo’s eventual integration into the EU in order to become a viable potential member of the EU. None should forget that after all, this is the country primarily responsible for the Yugoslav wars and the deaths of hundreds of thousands.

You say that the EU is a club built on values and honesty and it is for that reason that the EU should offer a substantial sign to Serbia! Those values which you speak of dictate respect for human rights and ethnic tolerance, something Serbia is terrible at even now. How can a country claim to share the values of the EU if it refuses to surrender one of the people responsible for the death of 7,000 people and instead hails him as a hero?

all of this much-heralded "cooperation" has been forced or coerced, and anyone who has followed this pathetic story knows the truth. the least possible cooperation, with the greatest pretense. it is so sick.

as for your (the nationalists') beloved mladic -- keep sheltering him, why not? it shows yr true face, which i have to see every day via these postings...

and holland: thank you. stick to your principles, even if most of the rest of eu is pure jello...

thank you.

roberto
robertoruss@yahoo.com

Er, if Serbia is held back from joining the EU, then so is Kosovo (even with its EULEX hand holding friend).

The only good point about the dutch is that they will not give Croatia a free pass either. I bet Croatia's biggest hand holder and historical brother in arms, Germany, is quite upset about this.

Schadenfreude indeed!

Nick KS "Those values which you speak of dictate respect for human rights and ethnic tolerance, something Serbia is terrible at even now"

I am not well placed, not living in the region, to comment at any great depth about the historical impact of the Serbs in the region. However, from extensive reading from a variety of different sources and with as objective and unbiased approach as I could manage, I think I can fairly safely say that whilst some Serbian nationals have, in the past, been responsible for some so called war crimes, it is equally true that Serbia as a nation has had some atrocities pepetrated against her by a variety of different people both in region and much further afield. I feel that two things, amoungst many others, stand out in my mind. First that it is grossly unfair to tar every Serb with the same brush based on the actions of a very small minority and secondly that to penalise a nation for crimes committed in the past but to reward other nations or groups of people who have committed equally bad if not worse crimes in the past is wholly unfair and immoral. There has to be balance and fairness and a recognition of a nations willingness to comply to requests that are being placed upon it. At present, from a neutral perspective, it seems to me that Serbians as a people are collectively being held back from moving forward, sometimes by people who have no place involving themselves in the affairs of the region and most often in a way that is not being equally applied to the whole region. There has to be one rule for everyone, and it has to be applied equally and fairly. As I have said before, this is just how the situation appears to me from the outside looking in and with no political opinion clouding my view.

EU foreign ministers have praised Serbia for its efforts in cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, and CALLED ON BELGRADE TO COMPLETE ITS OBLIGATIOS.

For sure EU has spoken to Belgrade with an eloquent diplomatic language. Make sure to be understood properly.

I think Jeremic & Co. are not to be trusted anymore.

Check this link, it's really, really interesting

While one can admire his knowledge and education, his words are not to be admired and taken for granted. Having a simple example how he tries to appease his citizens, I have to say that a country does not need a 'leader' whose words do not comply with the truth!

I think that those 20 EU countries Jeremic mentioned in this article are Kosova's friends, but since he considers Kosova still a part of Serbia, you can say they are Serbia's friends as well. But, are they for sure Serbia's friends? You already know the answer.

Greets from Prishtina!

He added that “about twenty European foreign ministers will put pressure on the Netherlands to change its position.” OR Serbia can arrest the remaining war crime suspects and there will be no need for any lobbying by any countries.

Holland will get with program no worries

He (Jeremic) added that “about twenty European foreign ministers will put pressure on the Netherlands to change its position.”

He had also added (some months ago) that Malaysia would never recognize Kosovo, as a result of succesful lobbying etc. etc.

Moreover, these 20 FMs have been pressing since months...

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU- the fine Dutch people and government are probably the best friends the Serbs have. The Dutch are the only ones who are keeping the Serbs free from the EU- at least for the time being. Hold tough, Mighty Netherlands....don't succumb to pressures from other EU countries!!! Opet hvala!!!

He added that “about twenty European foreign ministers will put pressure on the Netherlands to change its position.”

Hmm... And I thought Serbia didn't have any friends in europe :)

all of this much-heralded "cooperation" has been forced or coerced, and anyone who has followed this pathetic story knows the truth. the least possible cooperation, with the greatest pretense. it is so sick.

as for your (the nationalists') beloved mladic -- keep sheltering him, why not? it shows yr true face, which i have to see every day via these postings...

and holland: thank you. stick to your principles, even if most of the rest of eu is pure jello...

thank you.

roberto
robertoruss@yahoo.com

UK,

Serbia is going to have to do everything from surrendering Ratko Mladic to promising not to obstruct Kosovo’s eventual integration into the EU in order to become a viable potential member of the EU. None should forget that after all, this is the country primarily responsible for the Yugoslav wars and the deaths of hundreds of thousands.

You say that the EU is a club built on values and honesty and it is for that reason that the EU should offer a substantial sign to Serbia! Those values which you speak of dictate respect for human rights and ethnic tolerance, something Serbia is terrible at even now. How can a country claim to share the values of the EU if it refuses to surrender one of the people responsible for the death of 7,000 people and instead hails him as a hero?

A country where 50% of the population still in 2008 belives that Srebrenica is fictin and refuses to arrest Mladic is light years from EU values Mr UK.

The doube standards of EU and the lifein general is that the victim of Serbia are not even considered for any benefits from EU integration.

Sometimes I belive that EU wold accept even Mladic as PM of Serbis if he says 'I bealive in EY values'. Holand is resisting not because of values and moral but becaouse of her consciousnes.

How much more is Serbia expected to do in order to receive something in return? I am not Serbian nor do I live in the Balkans but it seems to me from watching the situation over the past several months that Serbia has bent over backwards to try and accomodate all the pressures and expectations that have been placed upon her and yet still the situation existas where little if any action has been taken to express Europe's willingness to welcome her into the fold. She is geographically part of Europe and is doing all she can to appease the self appointed guardians of the EU. Surely the time has come to offer some kind of substantial sign to all Serbs that the EU is in fact a club built on values and honesty that people should aspire to be a part of. How much effort would it really take to unfreeze the trade agreement or to include Serbia on the White List? That way, at least, Serbs would start to see the benefit of being in the EU in a very real sense and may even cement support within Serbia for continued cooperation with the very institutions that seem to be penalising her unfairly thus far. Come on EU....show some balance and reward good intentions.

This has been said before but Serbia is completely and totally cooperating with the Hague but the Netherlands wants total success. That is unreasonable because for most countries they only have to demonstrate that they are working toward a goal but the Netherlands is demanding total success. They must stop.

UK : "How much effort would it really take to unfreeze the trade agreement or to include Serbia on the White List?"

I tell yuo what it takes. It takes to elect people who would re-laign Serbia towards Russia and would take at least independent stance on EU and NATO. More Serbia gives in to EU pressure, more demand EU will come up with. Isnt't it clear by now ? EU wuill make all concessions to Serbia - when it will see it is losing influence there. Rember how much noise Eurocrats made just before elections where Nikolic could have won ? They feared it...Serbia is way to big chunk of land and way too well positioned for EU to loose it.

Holland's pigheadedness is having the opposite effect it intends. Serbia can tell you where too much pride gets you. Open up to Serbia and Mladic will be in the Hague in a couple of months.

contrary to what the usual suspects say it is entirely wrong to punish the entire country for what a small group of people are doing. i understand that this may be a novel concept for some because hating an entire ethnic group because of the actions of a few extremists seems so natural to them, but it is a key to the process of reconciliation. if you don't treat the entire nation as responsible for crimes of the few you will encourage other members of that nation to disassociate from them. if you use the crimes of the few to demand policies that punish the entire nation you will encourage the opposite. this is precisely what leads to hatred.

it is not the policy of serbian government to protect mladic and if some big players in the past did so this doesn't seem to be the case now. the co-operation is there as far as i can tell, so we can't talk about serbia protecting mladic, but a group of people in serbia doing that. it's a problem comparable to organised crime.

AO KS

The EU does not choose between Kosovo and Serbia. There is no such thing as the EU being one counrty's friend but not the other. The EU is about progress and enlargement, and to tell you the truth, the EU (aside from the Netherlands), does not care about all this war criminal stuff, at least not so much as to limit their progress. If the EU is Kosovo's big friend, why did they succumb to Serbia's EULEX demands and not to Kosovo's? I think you know the answer to this one.

Er, if Serbia is held back from joining the EU, then so is Kosovo (even with its EULEX hand holding friend).

The only good point about the dutch is that they will not give Croatia a free pass either. I bet Croatia's biggest hand holder and historical brother in arms, Germany, is quite upset about this.

Schadenfreude indeed!

Nick KS "Those values which you speak of dictate respect for human rights and ethnic tolerance, something Serbia is terrible at even now"

I am not well placed, not living in the region, to comment at any great depth about the historical impact of the Serbs in the region. However, from extensive reading from a variety of different sources and with as objective and unbiased approach as I could manage, I think I can fairly safely say that whilst some Serbian nationals have, in the past, been responsible for some so called war crimes, it is equally true that Serbia as a nation has had some atrocities pepetrated against her by a variety of different people both in region and much further afield. I feel that two things, amoungst many others, stand out in my mind. First that it is grossly unfair to tar every Serb with the same brush based on the actions of a very small minority and secondly that to penalise a nation for crimes committed in the past but to reward other nations or groups of people who have committed equally bad if not worse crimes in the past is wholly unfair and immoral. There has to be balance and fairness and a recognition of a nations willingness to comply to requests that are being placed upon it. At present, from a neutral perspective, it seems to me that Serbians as a people are collectively being held back from moving forward, sometimes by people who have no place involving themselves in the affairs of the region and most often in a way that is not being equally applied to the whole region. There has to be one rule for everyone, and it has to be applied equally and fairly. As I have said before, this is just how the situation appears to me from the outside looking in and with no political opinion clouding my view.

EU foreign ministers have praised Serbia for its efforts in cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, and CALLED ON BELGRADE TO COMPLETE ITS OBLIGATIOS.

For sure EU has spoken to Belgrade with an eloquent diplomatic language. Make sure to be understood properly.