Dutch ambassador: Brammertz report crucial

Dutch Ambassador to Belgrade Ron van Dartel says Serge Brammertz's report will be crucial for his country's decision on Serbia's continued EU integration. "We are waiting for the new report of Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz to the UN Security Council to be able to determine if the Serbian authorities have done their best to promote cooperation with the Hague, including their efforts to arrest the two remaining indictees," the ambassador said. Dutch ambassador: Brammertz report crucial However, Van Dartel did not directly answer whether his country would accept possible positive assessment of Serbia's cooperation with the Hague Tribunal and allow unblocking of the Interim Trade Agreement and the Stabilization and Association Agreement even if the two remaining fugitives, Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic, were not arrested. "The Dutch government is strict but also just in view of the EU enlargement. If a country intending to join EU puts in efforts and they yield results, it is understandable that this should be recognized, just as Holland has done so far. Nevertheless, the report of Serge Brammertz will be an important factor," the ambassador was quoted by Tanjug as saying. Dutch "ready to unfreeze SAA", says daily The Netherlands is ready to support the unfreezing of the SAA without the arrests of the two remaining Hague fugitives, Belgrade daily Blic writes. The Dutch foreign ministry has confirmed to the daily that “unfreezing of the SAA would be the Netherlands' first step if the Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz stated in his report that Belgrade was doing everything in its power to arrest and extradite Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic". Representatives of the Serbian authorities stated that they expected exactly that wording to find its way to the new Brammerz report, which would open the door for Serbia to apply for EU candidacy on December 10. The Netherlands is no longer insisting on the arrests of Mladic and Hadzic, but it is not giving up on it either, says the newspaper. The rigid and principled Dutch position presented before has also been moderated, which amounted to a stance that the only proof that Serbia was cooperating with the Hague Tribunal would be the arrest of the two remaining fugitives. Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen announced that this position – which saw the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) suspended immediately after it was signed a year and a half ago – in his speech in the Dutch parliament two days ago, Blic says. Verhagen pointed out that there was notable progress in Serbia’s cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, and that for that reason, he no longer ruled out Serbia moving closer to the EU.

Dutch ambassador: Brammertz report crucial

However, Van Dartel did not directly answer whether his country would accept possible positive assessment of Serbia's cooperation with the Hague Tribunal and allow unblocking of the Interim Trade Agreement and the Stabilization and Association Agreement even if the two remaining fugitives, Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić, were not arrested.

"The Dutch government is strict but also just in view of the EU enlargement. If a country intending to join EU puts in efforts and they yield results, it is understandable that this should be recognized, just as Holland has done so far. Nevertheless, the report of Serge Brammertz will be an important factor," the ambassador was quoted by Tanjug as saying.

Dutch "ready to unfreeze SAA", says daily

The Netherlands is ready to support the unfreezing of the SAA without the arrests of the two remaining Hague fugitives, Belgrade daily Blic writes.

The Dutch foreign ministry has confirmed to the daily that “unfreezing of the SAA would be the Netherlands' first step if the Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz stated in his report that Belgrade was doing everything in its power to arrest and extradite Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić".

Representatives of the Serbian authorities stated that they expected exactly that wording to find its way to the new Brammerz report, which would open the door for Serbia to apply for EU candidacy on December 10.

The Netherlands is no longer insisting on the arrests of Mladić and Hadžić, but it is not giving up on it either, says the newspaper.

The rigid and principled Dutch position presented before has also been moderated, which amounted to a stance that the only proof that Serbia was cooperating with the Hague Tribunal would be the arrest of the two remaining fugitives.

Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen announced that this position – which saw the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) suspended immediately after it was signed a year and a half ago – in his speech in the Dutch parliament two days ago, Blic says.

Verhagen pointed out that there was notable progress in Serbia’s cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, and that for that reason, he no longer ruled out Serbia moving closer to the EU.