Solana still hopeful of SAA signing

Javier Solana says that he hopes it will be possible for Serbia to sign the SAA with the EU on Monday. This was the EU high representative’s reply to a question from a reporter concerning Serbia’s chances of signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) that would include “a special provision on the necessity for full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.” Solana still hopeful of SAA signing “You know,” said Solana, after a meeting with Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, “that the EU have been discussing the matter for quite some time now.” “But, I still hope that it will be possible to sign the SAA with Serbia at the next meeting of EU ministers on January 28, though I can't guarantee it,” the high representative stressed. He will meet with Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic on Monday in Brussels. However, Hague Tribunal cooperation is probably not the only obstacle to signing the SAA. Namely, Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica has repeated that the agreement should not be signed, if the EU insists on sending its, as he puts it, illegal mission to Kosovo. Indeed, Kostunica’s Democratic Party of Serbia, together with New Serbia, have gone so far as to condition their support for Democratic Party candidate Boris Tadic in the second round of the presidential elections on this very issue by calling for a change to the ruling coalition agreement. Javier Solana (FoNet) Rehn: SAA ready as soon as conditions are met Olli Rehn says the EU foreign ministers will convene in Brussels on Jan. 28 to discuss the signing of the SAA with Serbia. The EU enlargement commissioner stressed that the agreement is technically ready. The SAA opens the doors for Serbia's candidacy for EU membership and will be signed as soon as "the remaining conditions" are met, Rehn highlighted, after a meeting with Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski. He said the European Commission was completely dedicated to integrating Serbia into the EU. Asked what the EU could do to strengthen the pro-European forces in Serbia, given that within the EU the Netherlands was against signing the SAA, before Serbia delivered indicted general Ratko Mladic to the Hague tribunal, Rehn said, "as soon as we sign the SAA, we shall cross the threshold for EU membership candidacy and Serbia can move forward." "And I think that will happen very soon, given the country's essential institutional capacity to progress in European integration," the commissioner said. Rehn reiterated that the European Commission and the EU "are already doing a lot to pave the way for Serbia to associate with the EU and progress in European integrations." "We have approved important trade measures as a means of supporting Serbia, we are giving the country significant financial backing, we have recently made a visa benefit agreement, and are launching a dialog on a visa-free regime for Serbian citizens," he said. He added that the SAA was technically ready for signing, as soon as the political conditions were met. "I expect those remaining conditions to be met, and then we can sign the agreement," Rehn said.

Solana still hopeful of SAA signing

“You know,” said Solana, after a meeting with Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, “that the EU have been discussing the matter for quite some time now.”

“But, I still hope that it will be possible to sign the SAA with Serbia at the next meeting of EU ministers on January 28, though I can't guarantee it,” the high representative stressed.

He will meet with Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić on Monday in Brussels.

However, Hague Tribunal cooperation is probably not the only obstacle to signing the SAA.

Namely, Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica has repeated that the agreement should not be signed, if the EU insists on sending its, as he puts it, illegal mission to Kosovo. Indeed, Koštunica’s Democratic Party of Serbia, together with New Serbia, have gone so far as to condition their support for Democratic Party candidate Boris Tadić in the second round of the presidential elections on this very issue by calling for a change to the ruling coalition agreement.

Rehn: SAA ready as soon as conditions are met

Olli Rehn says the EU foreign ministers will convene in Brussels on Jan. 28 to discuss the signing of the SAA with Serbia.

The EU enlargement commissioner stressed that the agreement is technically ready.

The SAA opens the doors for Serbia's candidacy for EU membership and will be signed as soon as "the remaining conditions" are met, Rehn highlighted, after a meeting with Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.

He said the European Commission was completely dedicated to integrating Serbia into the EU.

Asked what the EU could do to strengthen the pro-European forces in Serbia, given that within the EU the Netherlands was against signing the SAA, before Serbia delivered indicted general Ratko Mladić to the Hague tribunal, Rehn said, "as soon as we sign the SAA, we shall cross the threshold for EU membership candidacy and Serbia can move forward."

"And I think that will happen very soon, given the country's essential institutional capacity to progress in European integration," the commissioner said.

Rehn reiterated that the European Commission and the EU "are already doing a lot to pave the way for Serbia to associate with the EU and progress in European integrations."

"We have approved important trade measures as a means of supporting Serbia, we are giving the country significant financial backing, we have recently made a visa benefit agreement, and are launching a dialog on a visa-free regime for Serbian citizens," he said.

He added that the SAA was technically ready for signing, as soon as the political conditions were met.

"I expect those remaining conditions to be met, and then we can sign the agreement," Rehn said.