BRUSSELS -- A spokeswoman for Javier Solana says that "there is still chance Serbia will sign the SAA next Monday."
Source: B92, FoNet
Close the entire text of the article here
She also added that an interim political deal, which the European Union offered to Serbia at its Jan. 28 session instead of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), will "now in all likelihood not be signed".
But today, the spokeswoman for the EU foreign policy chief said the "door was left open for the agreement to be signed during the next meeting of the Council of Ministers."
She did not specify whether there were indications Serbia could conclude its Hague Tribunal cooperation by that time, or if the Union was willing to compromise on the issue.
When on Feb. 4, one day after the presidential elections in the country, Brussels decided to send the text of the interim agreement to Belgrade, at the same time going ahead with its Kosovo mission plans, it threw Serbia into political turmoil that almost ended in the collapse of the cabinet.
President Boris Tadić and his Democrats (DS) believe that Serbia should continue on its EU integration path irrelevant of the Brussels' action over Kosovo, while Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica's Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) advocates a freeze on closer ties in light of what it sees as the EU's hostile moves aiding the province's unilateral declaration of independence.
But unlike where it concerned the so-called interim political deal, Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić was earlier authorized by the government to sign the SAA itself.
Both parties are opposed to the announced sending of an EU mission to Kosovo, and both have in the meantime agreed on a common state policy that will include a set of undisclosed measures, should ethnic Albanian leadership in Kosovo decide to declare secession, a move the authorities in Belgrade say will be declared illegal.
ha ha ha, you´re right! brother´s & sister´s no matter how hard we try, we simply can´t get isolated!
what in eu-speach means a trade-market of 200 million people (due to the free-trade-agreement with russia) and oil and gas that nobody wants to buy from us (exept italy, france, and others)!
it would be wiser and more european to buy russian gas from hungary or austria!
(raso, 13 February 2008 11:42)
I agree with albi that Serbs have an exaggerated sense of their country's worth.
The EU couldn't care less about Serbia. Like they need another poor former east-bloc charity case within their boundaries ....
(SinCity, 13 February 2008 03:33)
Its funny that EU is proposing some papers to be signed by serbia 5 times in 1 week while serbia stays whit no comment since kostunica refused an interim deal.
EU is just like a girl. If you run after it it run away from you, but if you turn your back to it it runs after you.
(Ovich, 13 February 2008 00:11)
Bmrusila, EU plays hard to get game with Serbia because EU needs Serbia badly -the prospect of having Russian missiles smack dab in the middle of EU does not sound very appealing to EUcrats.
EU is not a circus, the business model resembles casino run by slick operators - visitors see the glitz and forget it is their money paying for it. The admission fee is paid on exit.
On top of that, there is an anual membership fee the average Serbian voter has no idea about.
(Bob Petrovich, 12 February 2008 21:23)
To bmrusila, I think you Serbs have an overdeveloped sense of your own worth and as a result you often end up miscalculating, and we all suffer as a consequence. You miscalculated greatly when in the 90s you thought that the West needed a united Yugoslavia, that borders couldn't be changed. Later you assumed that the West would never touch Serbia to save a couple of million worthless Albanians, but you were proven wrong again. Don't assume now that Europe loves you more than you love yourselves. By offering sweet deals, they are trying to help Serb politicians out of the corner where they put themselves, but that can change too, everything has a limit.
(albi, 12 February 2008 21:12)
Serbia does not have to do anything if does not suits her. However, I have impression that the more Kostunica says NO to the EU the more EU offers, meaning that by the end of the year I wouldn't be surprised if the EU suddenly conclude that Serbia is more than ready to join that Union of nonsense. So, Kostunica is very right when does not accept every kinds of rubbish they offers us. But all this is nothing else but the attempt to bribe us as best as they can in order to implement their filthy agenda. Believe me that EU is very well aware of their wrongdoing when it comes to Kosovo, otherwise they would not make such offers yet. They will forget Hague and war criminals, they will forget all conditions needed to meet the standards of the full EU membership but I wouldn't be surprised if even by the end of the month we learn that we actually met nearly all conditions just to keep Belgrade quiet and by the end of the year when all the “standards are met” there you go, right in the EU empire. The additional thing is that they are not yet sure what are the plans of Belgrade and Moscow.
The EU is real joke and is turning into circus. Very interesting Union, indeed but how else I could be amused as the EU technocrats seem to be the best at.
(bmrusila, 12 February 2008 18:26)
oh dear:) they're not very bright are they in brussels. they're at it again. are we serbs really that hard to please :)
they're going on and on with this trial and error method and getting absolutely nowhere.
(smile, 12 February 2008 17:50)
This message is for Serbs. It tells them that doors are open but you need to cooperate. It also tells Serbs that their governments plan to join Russian block was a farce used just to sell NIS cheap and make money for themselves.
Now the ground is prepared for Serbia annulling the Independence of Kosova, as if that would be hold any grounds, and than sign the SAA and third would be announcement of new elections after the fall of government. Annulling the Independence sounds same as the Resolution for Kosova adopted in Dec. by Parliament which is already forgotten even by the posters in here.
(Olf, 12 February 2008 17:09)
If the EU is smart (a big if) they will let Serbia sign the SAA, putting aside the Hague issue. They need to put the non-Democrats like Kostunica and Ilic on the back foot. With the SAA signed it will be much harder for DSS to create anit-EU propganda. Best of all would be to fast track Serbia to the Schengen white list, that would make a big difference to many Serbs.
(Martin, 12 February 2008 16:25)
Serbia does not have to do anything if does not suits her. However, I have impression that the more Kostunica says NO to the EU the more EU offers, meaning that by the end of the year I wouldn't be surprised if the EU suddenly conclude that Serbia is more than ready to join that Union of nonsense. So, Kostunica is very right when does not accept every kinds of rubbish they offers us. But all this is nothing else but the attempt to bribe us as best as they can in order to implement their filthy agenda. Believe me that EU is very well aware of their wrongdoing when it comes to Kosovo, otherwise they would not make such offers yet. They will forget Hague and war criminals, they will forget all conditions needed to meet the standards of the full EU membership but I wouldn't be surprised if even by the end of the month we learn that we actually met nearly all conditions just to keep Belgrade quiet and by the end of the year when all the “standards are met” there you go, right in the EU empire. The additional thing is that they are not yet sure what are the plans of Belgrade and Moscow.
The EU is real joke and is turning into circus. Very interesting Union, indeed but how else I could be amused as the EU technocrats seem to be the best at.
(bmrusila, 12 February 2008 18:26)
oh dear:) they're not very bright are they in brussels. they're at it again. are we serbs really that hard to please :)
they're going on and on with this trial and error method and getting absolutely nowhere.
(smile, 12 February 2008 17:50)
Bmrusila, EU plays hard to get game with Serbia because EU needs Serbia badly -the prospect of having Russian missiles smack dab in the middle of EU does not sound very appealing to EUcrats.
EU is not a circus, the business model resembles casino run by slick operators - visitors see the glitz and forget it is their money paying for it. The admission fee is paid on exit.
On top of that, there is an anual membership fee the average Serbian voter has no idea about.
(Bob Petrovich, 12 February 2008 21:23)
To bmrusila, I think you Serbs have an overdeveloped sense of your own worth and as a result you often end up miscalculating, and we all suffer as a consequence. You miscalculated greatly when in the 90s you thought that the West needed a united Yugoslavia, that borders couldn't be changed. Later you assumed that the West would never touch Serbia to save a couple of million worthless Albanians, but you were proven wrong again. Don't assume now that Europe loves you more than you love yourselves. By offering sweet deals, they are trying to help Serb politicians out of the corner where they put themselves, but that can change too, everything has a limit.
(albi, 12 February 2008 21:12)
If the EU is smart (a big if) they will let Serbia sign the SAA, putting aside the Hague issue. They need to put the non-Democrats like Kostunica and Ilic on the back foot. With the SAA signed it will be much harder for DSS to create anit-EU propganda. Best of all would be to fast track Serbia to the Schengen white list, that would make a big difference to many Serbs.
(Martin, 12 February 2008 16:25)
Its funny that EU is proposing some papers to be signed by serbia 5 times in 1 week while serbia stays whit no comment since kostunica refused an interim deal.
EU is just like a girl. If you run after it it run away from you, but if you turn your back to it it runs after you.
(Ovich, 13 February 2008 00:11)
This message is for Serbs. It tells them that doors are open but you need to cooperate. It also tells Serbs that their governments plan to join Russian block was a farce used just to sell NIS cheap and make money for themselves.
Now the ground is prepared for Serbia annulling the Independence of Kosova, as if that would be hold any grounds, and than sign the SAA and third would be announcement of new elections after the fall of government. Annulling the Independence sounds same as the Resolution for Kosova adopted in Dec. by Parliament which is already forgotten even by the posters in here.
(Olf, 12 February 2008 17:09)
I agree with albi that Serbs have an exaggerated sense of their country's worth.
The EU couldn't care less about Serbia. Like they need another poor former east-bloc charity case within their boundaries ....
(SinCity, 13 February 2008 03:33)
ha ha ha, you´re right! brother´s & sister´s no matter how hard we try, we simply can´t get isolated!
what in eu-speach means a trade-market of 200 million people (due to the free-trade-agreement with russia) and oil and gas that nobody wants to buy from us (exept italy, france, and others)!
it would be wiser and more european to buy russian gas from hungary or austria!
(raso, 13 February 2008 11:42)
This message is for Serbs. It tells them that doors are open but you need to cooperate. It also tells Serbs that their governments plan to join Russian block was a farce used just to sell NIS cheap and make money for themselves.
Now the ground is prepared for Serbia annulling the Independence of Kosova, as if that would be hold any grounds, and than sign the SAA and third would be announcement of new elections after the fall of government. Annulling the Independence sounds same as the Resolution for Kosova adopted in Dec. by Parliament which is already forgotten even by the posters in here.
(Olf, 12 February 2008 17:09)
To bmrusila, I think you Serbs have an overdeveloped sense of your own worth and as a result you often end up miscalculating, and we all suffer as a consequence. You miscalculated greatly when in the 90s you thought that the West needed a united Yugoslavia, that borders couldn't be changed. Later you assumed that the West would never touch Serbia to save a couple of million worthless Albanians, but you were proven wrong again. Don't assume now that Europe loves you more than you love yourselves. By offering sweet deals, they are trying to help Serb politicians out of the corner where they put themselves, but that can change too, everything has a limit.
(albi, 12 February 2008 21:12)
If the EU is smart (a big if) they will let Serbia sign the SAA, putting aside the Hague issue. They need to put the non-Democrats like Kostunica and Ilic on the back foot. With the SAA signed it will be much harder for DSS to create anit-EU propganda. Best of all would be to fast track Serbia to the Schengen white list, that would make a big difference to many Serbs.
(Martin, 12 February 2008 16:25)
Serbia does not have to do anything if does not suits her. However, I have impression that the more Kostunica says NO to the EU the more EU offers, meaning that by the end of the year I wouldn't be surprised if the EU suddenly conclude that Serbia is more than ready to join that Union of nonsense. So, Kostunica is very right when does not accept every kinds of rubbish they offers us. But all this is nothing else but the attempt to bribe us as best as they can in order to implement their filthy agenda. Believe me that EU is very well aware of their wrongdoing when it comes to Kosovo, otherwise they would not make such offers yet. They will forget Hague and war criminals, they will forget all conditions needed to meet the standards of the full EU membership but I wouldn't be surprised if even by the end of the month we learn that we actually met nearly all conditions just to keep Belgrade quiet and by the end of the year when all the “standards are met” there you go, right in the EU empire. The additional thing is that they are not yet sure what are the plans of Belgrade and Moscow.
The EU is real joke and is turning into circus. Very interesting Union, indeed but how else I could be amused as the EU technocrats seem to be the best at.
(bmrusila, 12 February 2008 18:26)
oh dear:) they're not very bright are they in brussels. they're at it again. are we serbs really that hard to please :)
they're going on and on with this trial and error method and getting absolutely nowhere.
(smile, 12 February 2008 17:50)
ha ha ha, you´re right! brother´s & sister´s no matter how hard we try, we simply can´t get isolated!
what in eu-speach means a trade-market of 200 million people (due to the free-trade-agreement with russia) and oil and gas that nobody wants to buy from us (exept italy, france, and others)!
it would be wiser and more european to buy russian gas from hungary or austria!
(raso, 13 February 2008 11:42)
I agree with albi that Serbs have an exaggerated sense of their country's worth.
The EU couldn't care less about Serbia. Like they need another poor former east-bloc charity case within their boundaries ....
(SinCity, 13 February 2008 03:33)
Bmrusila, EU plays hard to get game with Serbia because EU needs Serbia badly -the prospect of having Russian missiles smack dab in the middle of EU does not sound very appealing to EUcrats.
EU is not a circus, the business model resembles casino run by slick operators - visitors see the glitz and forget it is their money paying for it. The admission fee is paid on exit.
On top of that, there is an anual membership fee the average Serbian voter has no idea about.
(Bob Petrovich, 12 February 2008 21:23)
Its funny that EU is proposing some papers to be signed by serbia 5 times in 1 week while serbia stays whit no comment since kostunica refused an interim deal.
EU is just like a girl. If you run after it it run away from you, but if you turn your back to it it runs after you.
(Ovich, 13 February 2008 00:11)