Visas yes, interim deal no, say Dutch

The Dutch FM has repeated that the interim trade deal and the SAA itself cannot be activated without Serbia's full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. The Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) between the EU and Serbia was signed in late April 2008, but was immediately suspended. Visas yes, interim deal no, say Dutch Maxime Verhagen said in an interview for Belgrade daily Politika that the Netherlands wishes to help Serbia in her EU integration by supporting the visa regime liberalization, and accepting that parts of the Interim Trade Agreement – which is a part of the SAA – should be activated. "We concluded on Monday that Serbia had improved the cooperation with the tribunal in The Hague. For this reason, the Netherlands wishes to send a positive signal to Belgrade, in the form of the visa liberalization and acceptance that some parts of the Interim Agreement be activated immediately," he was quoted as saying. The Dutch minister stated that his country believes that it should support Belgrade's improved cooperation with the Hague, and that neither the trade deal nor the SAA can be activated without the full cooperation. He reminded that over a year ago when the EU decided to sign the SAA with Serbia, this was set as a condition for its implementation. "If you say that you agree to the activation of the Interim Agreement, that means you agree that there is full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal," said Verhagen, and added that this was in fact the only decision made, concerning the unfreezing of the interim trade agreement and the SAA. He went on to tell the daily that "as the Netherlands wish a European future for Serbia with her gradual inclusion in the union's structures, so the EU can agree on some parts of the Interim Trade Agreement that could be implemented right away". "Unless we reach an agreement, Serbia will get nothing. I believe it is in Serbia's interest that we agree on parts of the agreement, because that's better than nothing," said Verhagen.

Visas yes, interim deal no, say Dutch

Maxime Verhagen said in an interview for Belgrade daily Politika that the Netherlands wishes to help Serbia in her EU integration by supporting the visa regime liberalization, and accepting that parts of the Interim Trade Agreement – which is a part of the SAA – should be activated.

"We concluded on Monday that Serbia had improved the cooperation with the tribunal in The Hague. For this reason, the Netherlands wishes to send a positive signal to Belgrade, in the form of the visa liberalization and acceptance that some parts of the Interim Agreement be activated immediately," he was quoted as saying.

The Dutch minister stated that his country believes that it should support Belgrade's improved cooperation with the Hague, and that neither the trade deal nor the SAA can be activated without the full cooperation.

He reminded that over a year ago when the EU decided to sign the SAA with Serbia, this was set as a condition for its implementation.

"If you say that you agree to the activation of the Interim Agreement, that means you agree that there is full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal," said Verhagen, and added that this was in fact the only decision made, concerning the unfreezing of the interim trade agreement and the SAA.

He went on to tell the daily that "as the Netherlands wish a European future for Serbia with her gradual inclusion in the union's structures, so the EU can agree on some parts of the Interim Trade Agreement that could be implemented right away".

"Unless we reach an agreement, Serbia will get nothing. I believe it is in Serbia's interest that we agree on parts of the agreement, because that's better than nothing," said Verhagen.