EU Ministers Unblock Trade Deal with Serbia

Belgrade, Dec.8th 2009 (Source: EMportal) - "The Netherlands agreed to unblock entry into force of the trade agreement, following the views from the (U.N. war crimes tribunal) prosecutor," an EU diplomat said.
European Union foreign ministers agreed on Monday to unfreeze a trade agreement with Serbia, marking a breakthrough in the former Yugoslav republic's aspirations of EU membership, diplomats said.
The decision follows improved cooperation by Belgrade with the United Nations war crimes tribunal in pursuing suspected war criminals, diplomats said.
"The Netherlands agreed to unblock entry into force of the trade agreement, following the views from the (U.N. war crimes tribunal) prosecutor," an EU diplomat said.
At a two-day session which begins in Brussels Monday, the ministers of the EU member states are to decide whether the progress that Serbia has made in cooperation with the ICTY is sufficient for its further EU integration.
Taking into account that the latest report of ICTY Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz on Serbia's cooperation with the Tribunal is positive, the authorities in Belgrade expect a decision which would mean another step towards the country's EU accession.
Considering that Serbia is doing everything in its power to locate and arrest Mladic and Hadzic, Holland's position is expected to soften, particularly after the singnasl coming from the Dutch parliament.
However, Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen resisted the pressure of the journalists in Brussels to specify what will Holland's position be, pointing out that the pressure on Serbia must continue, so that Mladic and Hadzic would be extradited.
Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Dutch parliament Henk Jan Ormel was more open, announcing the unblocking of the EU's Interim Trade Agreement with Serbia. This practically means a complete separation of the Interim Trade Agreement from the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA).