By Henrietta Billings - 11th April 2005
Brussels has confirmed that Serbia and Montenegro can open negotiations on a stabilisation and association agreement (SAA), the first concrete step towards EU membership.
The European Commission on Tuesday approved a feasibility report on the Balkan country, confirming that it has made progress in meeting the criteria needed to open SAA negotiations.
"This is the beginning of the European road for Serbia and Montenegro. The country has achieved a great deal over the past few years, and it is time to move on," said EU enlargement chief Olli Rehn.
The Commissioner also welcomed Serbia and Montenegro's improved cooperation with the war crimes tribunal in The Hague, stressing the importance of indicting war crime suspects and possible EU accession.
"Accession negotiations proper cannot even be considered until the country has achieved full cooperation with ICTY," said Rehn.
"With the tenth memorial of Srebrenica approaching in July, Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic must be brought to justice."
"That is the only way to achieve reconciliation and move towards EU accession," he added.
The EU is keen to link human rights and EU accession in the region.
In March, national governments suspended Croatia’s accession negotiations following Zagreb’s failure to capture General Ante Gotovina, a war crimes suspect, and hand him over to the the Hague.
The Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP) is the EU's policy for Western Balkan region countries.
The SAA is the final stage of that policy creating a contractual agreement between the EU and a country of that region.
Brussels will report on Serbia and Montenegro’s progress in the SAP Annual Report, due in autumn 2005.
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.