EU seeks agreement on Russia, Serbia deals

EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg today will have to overcome considerable differences if they are to succeed in reaching agreement on key cooperation deals with Russia and Serbia.

Deutsche Welle reports that most EU capitals are keen to begin early talks with Moscow on a wide-ranging partnership and cooperation agreement (PCA) and to develop closer EU ties with Belgrade by signing off a stabilisation and association agreement (SAA).

However, Lithuania is holding firm on its opposition to open talks with Russia, and both Belgium and the Netherlands are against signing a deal with Serbia until more war-crimes suspects are handed over to the international criminal court in the Hague.

But El País says that the Netherlands lifted formal objections to the SAA with Serbia Monday, which will allow EU ministers to reinforce pro-European sections in the legislative elections on 11 May.

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