Rehn: Kosovo, EU integration not tied

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has reiterated that Serbia’s EU integration process is not tied to Kosovo's status. “Our goal is to improve and support the development of the social and economic situation in Kosovo... We don’t want Kosovo to become a black hole,“ said Rehn. Rehn: Kosovo, EU integration not tied He said that a report on the situation in the province would be published during the course of the year. President Tadic dismissed accusations by the Pristina authorities that Belgrade was pursuing the same policy it did in the Nineties. “In no way does Serbia wish to obstruct the process of Kosovo’s integration into certain international financial institutions, because we proposed this kind of solution for Kosovo during the status talks,“ said Tadic. “Serbia was at war with Kosovo in the Nineties. Serbia was confronted with abhorrent crimes, whose victims were both Albanians and Serbs,“ he said, adding that in recent years Serbia had taken a major step forward and was seeking a solution that would not endanger anyone. Boris Tadic and Olli Rehn (FoNet) "SAA first, candidacy later" Serbia could accede to the Schengen white list by the end of the year, but applying for EU candidacy is not advisable, Olli Rehn said in Belgrade today. After a meeting with President Boris Tadic, the EU enlargement commissioner said that Serbia could make the white list by the end of 2009, but ruled out the possibility of a candidacy application. The president said that Serbia would take Rehn's message into account and take a decision on the matter in due course. The commissioner stressed that effective implementation of the Interim Trade Agreement and the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) were conditions for a positive appraisal of Serbia’s EU candidacy. Rehn said that that was a technical issue and a realistic analysis of the European Commission’s current position on Serbia’s EU candidacy. He sent a similar message to Serbia this weekend, during Interior Minister Ivica Dacic’s visit to Brussels. Commenting on Serbia’s invitation to the EU to send a delegation to Belgrade in order to see for themselves the degree of Serbia’s cooperation with the Hague, Rehn said that he was not against the initiative, as long as it could help give a more complete insight into the issue. “I understand Serbia’s idea, but, nevertheless, it is up to the EU and the Council of Ministers to discuss advancing cooperation, while the Tribunal’s chief prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, is the one who needs to evaluate the quality of that cooperation,” said the commissioner. Tadic said that the government had not yet set a date for submitting an application for EU candidacy. “For Serbia it is most important that the integration process is as short as possible. We are not always interested in quick transitional aims, we are interested in the final goal, and that is why we’ll take note of Commissioner Rehn’s realistic analysis and make a decision about a date for submitting a candidacy application,” he said.

Rehn: Kosovo, EU integration not tied

He said that a report on the situation in the province would be published during the course of the year. President Tadić dismissed accusations by the Priština authorities that Belgrade was pursuing the same policy it did in the Nineties.

“In no way does Serbia wish to obstruct the process of Kosovo’s integration into certain international financial institutions, because we proposed this kind of solution for Kosovo during the status talks,“ said Tadić.

“Serbia was at war with Kosovo in the Nineties. Serbia was confronted with abhorrent crimes, whose victims were both Albanians and Serbs,“ he said, adding that in recent years Serbia had taken a major step forward and was seeking a solution that would not endanger anyone.

"SAA first, candidacy later"

Serbia could accede to the Schengen white list by the end of the year, but applying for EU candidacy is not advisable, Olli Rehn said in Belgrade today.

After a meeting with President Boris Tadić, the EU enlargement commissioner said that Serbia could make the white list by the end of 2009, but ruled out the possibility of a candidacy application.

The president said that Serbia would take Rehn's message into account and take a decision on the matter in due course.

The commissioner stressed that effective implementation of the Interim Trade Agreement and the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) were conditions for a positive appraisal of Serbia’s EU candidacy.

Rehn said that that was a technical issue and a realistic analysis of the European Commission’s current position on Serbia’s EU candidacy. He sent a similar message to Serbia this weekend, during Interior Minister Ivica Dačić’s visit to Brussels.

Commenting on Serbia’s invitation to the EU to send a delegation to Belgrade in order to see for themselves the degree of Serbia’s cooperation with the Hague, Rehn said that he was not against the initiative, as long as it could help give a more complete insight into the issue.

“I understand Serbia’s idea, but, nevertheless, it is up to the EU and the Council of Ministers to discuss advancing cooperation, while the Tribunal’s chief prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, is the one who needs to evaluate the quality of that cooperation,” said the commissioner.

Tadić said that the government had not yet set a date for submitting an application for EU candidacy.

“For Serbia it is most important that the integration process is as short as possible. We are not always interested in quick transitional aims, we are interested in the final goal, and that is why we’ll take note of Commissioner Rehn’s realistic analysis and make a decision about a date for submitting a candidacy application,” he said.