Rehn: Serbia’s turn to act

Rehn: Serbia’s turn to act

Based on that report and other factors, the EU will then decide on the fate of Serbia’s Stabilization and Association talks, suspended last May after Belgrade failed to live up to its promise to arrest and extradite Mladić by the end of April. Carla Del Ponte is also scheduled to arrive in Belgrade on Monday, where she will discuss mutual cooperation with Serbian officials.

Olli Rehn told the Finnish state television that the decision on the continuation of the suspended talks is not expected immediately. “No decision is expected today, the ball now really is in Serbia’s yard and the key question remains: beside producing plans, does Serbia implement them?”

“For our part, we are ready to resume the talks as soon as Serbia reaches full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, meaning, a cooperation that leads to Mladić’s arrest and his facing the court in order to answer for what he had done”, Rehn said.

He added that Serbia was the key country for the regional stability and peace and that it was “very important for the EU to keep Serbia within the association process”. A similar statement was given by Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, who said it was important for “the European perspective of the Western Balkans to remain tangible and that Serbia’s new future inevitably lies in a union with Europe”.