Slovenian president weighs in on Serbia, Turkey's EU prospects

24/04/2008

STRASBOURG, France -- Slovenian President Danilo Turk, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency, says the Union should not race to sign a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia. In a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday (April 23rd), Turk said the EU should endorse the accord only after Serbia's May 11th general elections. "Whatever happens has to be based on respect for the Serbian readiness to deal with this issue ... we should not see the European element as decisive," he added. Some in the EU have pushed for a signing ceremony this month, to boost the prospects of pro-Western parties in Serbia.

Turk also wants more chapters opened in accession negotiations with Turkey. Talks remain partly frozen over Ankara's treatment of EU member Cyprus. Turk says the Union's credibility could come into question if it fails to meet its commitments to candidate countries.

In other news Wednesday, the Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) urged the United States and the EU to curb their public support for pro-Western parties in Serbia. The ISG says the West's support for Kosovo's independence may fuel nationalist sentiment in Serbia, taking votes away from pro-democracy parties. (Reuters, AP - 23/04/08)