Spanish FM on EU, Kosovo

Spanish FM Miguel Angel Moratinos says that Croatia's admission to the EU will not close the doors of membership to Serbia and other W. Balkans countries. "After Croatia's admission the doors of EU membership will not be closed, but rather even wider open for Serbia and other countries of the region," Moratinos said in Brussels on Wednesday. Spanish FM on EU, Kosovo The Spanish minister spoke in response to Beta news agency's request for comment on a recent statement by President Boris Tadic, who said that EU should tell the Western Balkan states clearly whether it wants them to join or not. Speaking at a news conference held after the opening of the last three chapters in the membership negotiations with Croatia, Moratinos reiterated that there is no suspicion or doubt regarding the European prospects of the region and Serbia. Moratinos also said that Spain, as a member and presiding country of the EU, will continue to support practical cooperation between Belgrade and Pristina, and that the two sides should decide on when and how they can negotiate about the status issue. The minister added that his country, which has not recognized the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, will keep encouraging Serbs and Albanians to work together on practical issues in order to make people's lives better. "When the Spanish EU Presidency began, there was a lot of skepticism over our position on Kosovo and it was believed that not much progress and initiatives would be made in respect of the Western Balkans," Moratinos stated. Stressing that it was "not up to him to judge, but rather to the regional countries", Moratinos pointed to a successful meeting held in Sarajevo, which not only resulted in "all peoples of the region were sitting together and showed their commitment to the EU integration", but that the European side displayed commitment to the EU enlargement to the Western Balkans as well. Spain is to hand over the EU Presidency to Belgium on Thursday. Miguel Angel Moratinos (Tanjug, file)

Spanish FM on EU, Kosovo

The Spanish minister spoke in response to Beta news agency's request for comment on a recent statement by President Boris Tadić, who said that EU should tell the Western Balkan states clearly whether it wants them to join or not.

Speaking at a news conference held after the opening of the last three chapters in the membership negotiations with Croatia, Moratinos reiterated that there is no suspicion or doubt regarding the European prospects of the region and Serbia.

Moratinos also said that Spain, as a member and presiding country of the EU, will continue to support practical cooperation between Belgrade and Priština, and that the two sides should decide on when and how they can negotiate about the status issue.

The minister added that his country, which has not recognized the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, will keep encouraging Serbs and Albanians to work together on practical issues in order to make people's lives better.

"When the Spanish EU Presidency began, there was a lot of skepticism over our position on Kosovo and it was believed that not much progress and initiatives would be made in respect of the Western Balkans," Moratinos stated.

Stressing that it was "not up to him to judge, but rather to the regional countries", Moratinos pointed to a successful meeting held in Sarajevo, which not only resulted in "all peoples of the region were sitting together and showed their commitment to the EU integration", but that the European side displayed commitment to the EU enlargement to the Western Balkans as well.

Spain is to hand over the EU Presidency to Belgium on Thursday.