Sarkozy: No enlargement without Lisbon

French President Nicolas Sarkozy says that France wants Balkan countries to enter the EU, as Paris assumes the EU presidency. "The Balkans belongs in the EU“, the French president told French TV, confirming Paris’s official position on the acceptance of Western Balkan countries to the EU, even though the failure of the Lisbon Treaty has postponed the issue until the institutional crisis in the EU is resolved. Sarkozy: No enlargement without Lisbon Sarkozy considers it a way of establishing lasting peace in the region, “where one world war began” and where tensions among tensions are still perceptible. “It’s true that the Irish ‘no’ makes our task much harder, not only as the country presiding the EU, but also as Europeans. 27 countries have already signed the Treaty and 19 have already ratified it,” he said. "So the most important thing is to try and solve the problem with the Irish, and to make sure other countries ratify the agreement. I will go to Ireland and I’ll try to comprehend what has happened there, and what can we do to solve this issue. But there’s no rush,” he said. He was outlining his goals for the French EU presidency, and the problems it faced at the official start of its mandate today. "We need to change the way we build Europe from the very roots,” something that “concerns” European citizens, the French president said in a televised address to citizens. "This way won’t do. Europe is worrying, and what is in my opinion even worse, our compatriots are starting to wonder whether a national framework will protect them better than a European one,” Sarkozy said. He explained that Europe was “excepted to protect Europeans against the risks that come with globalization, and that is precisely where Europe is failing to deliver.” "That is why it is essential to think about how Europe can protect Europeans in their everyday lives,” he stressed, adding that the Union was going through a crisis, after Irish voters rejected the Lisbon Treaty at a referendum held on June 12. Sarkozy also said that there was no way that the Union could be enlarged until the treaty was adopted, which, he added, meant temporarily blocking access to Croatia, which currently has candidate status. According to a survey conducted by regional daily Ouest France, almost one in three French citizens have no confidence in the construction of a joint European home. Meanwhile, European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has said that he believes that Serbia’s new government will be completely dedicated to Hague cooperation. "Full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal is still the condition for beginning the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) ratification process, and for the interim trade agreement to come into force,” the commissioner said last night at a conference at the University Foundation in Brussels. "That’s why I believe that Serbian leaders in the new government will be completely dedicated to full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal”, Rehn said. He pointed out that for the first time since 2004, when he was appointed to the post, Serbia had a good chance to move forward. "The new pro-EU government, which will be formed this week, will consist mostly of democratic forces,” the commissioner said. When it comes to Serbia's progress in European integration, Rehn said "it is better to rely on evolution than catharsis" French President Nicola Sarkozy during a television interview for France 3 television in Paris (Beta) "Continuity and acceleration" Meanwhile in Belgrade, French Ambassador Jean Francois Terral said today that France will, during its EU presidency, try to accelerate the process of Serbia’s EU membership, but that it was "up to the Belgrade authorities to take the necessary steps". Terral spoke in a news when he said that the “continuity and acceleration” would mark the French policy towards Serbia’s membership, because "it is the key country in the region". He could not say whether Serbia would be given an EU candidate state status during 2008, nor at what point the country would become a member state, because "this depends on fulfilling necessary conditions". Asked whether Serbia will be have to recognize Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence as one of these conditions, the ambassador said that "Kosovo and the EU integration are two separate processes". Terral reminded that the condition for Serbia is its full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal and that the EU will in that respect rely on reports filed by the Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammertz.

Sarkozy: No enlargement without Lisbon

Sarkozy considers it a way of establishing lasting peace in the region, “where one world war began” and where tensions among tensions are still perceptible.

“It’s true that the Irish ‘no’ makes our task much harder, not only as the country presiding the EU, but also as Europeans. 27 countries have already signed the Treaty and 19 have already ratified it,” he said.

"So the most important thing is to try and solve the problem with the Irish, and to make sure other countries ratify the agreement. I will go to Ireland and I’ll try to comprehend what has happened there, and what can we do to solve this issue. But there’s no rush,” he said.

He was outlining his goals for the French EU presidency, and the problems it faced at the official start of its mandate today.

"We need to change the way we build Europe from the very roots,” something that “concerns” European citizens, the French president said in a televised address to citizens.

"This way won’t do. Europe is worrying, and what is in my opinion even worse, our compatriots are starting to wonder whether a national framework will protect them better than a European one,” Sarkozy said.

He explained that Europe was “excepted to protect Europeans against the risks that come with globalization, and that is precisely where Europe is failing to deliver.”

"That is why it is essential to think about how Europe can protect Europeans in their everyday lives,” he stressed, adding that the Union was going through a crisis, after Irish voters rejected the Lisbon Treaty at a referendum held on June 12.

Sarkozy also said that there was no way that the Union could be enlarged until the treaty was adopted, which, he added, meant temporarily blocking access to Croatia, which currently has candidate status.

According to a survey conducted by regional daily Ouest France, almost one in three French citizens have no confidence in the construction of a joint European home.

Meanwhile, European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has said that he believes that Serbia’s new government will be completely dedicated to Hague cooperation.

"Full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal is still the condition for beginning the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) ratification process, and for the interim trade agreement to come into force,” the commissioner said last night at a conference at the University Foundation in Brussels.

"That’s why I believe that Serbian leaders in the new government will be completely dedicated to full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal”, Rehn said.

He pointed out that for the first time since 2004, when he was appointed to the post, Serbia had a good chance to move forward.

"The new pro-EU government, which will be formed this week, will consist mostly of democratic forces,” the commissioner said.

When it comes to Serbia's progress in European integration, Rehn said "it is better to rely on evolution than catharsis"

"Continuity and acceleration"

Meanwhile in Belgrade, French Ambassador Jean Francois Terral said today that France will, during its EU presidency, try to accelerate the process of Serbia’s EU membership, but that it was "up to the Belgrade authorities to take the necessary steps".

Terral spoke in a news when he said that the “continuity and acceleration” would mark the French policy towards Serbia’s membership, because "it is the key country in the region".

He could not say whether Serbia would be given an EU candidate state status during 2008, nor at what point the country would become a member state, because "this depends on fulfilling necessary conditions".

Asked whether Serbia will be have to recognize Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence as one of these conditions, the ambassador said that "Kosovo and the EU integration are two separate processes".

Terral reminded that the condition for Serbia is its full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal and that the EU will in that respect rely on reports filed by the Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammertz.