EU offers to sign SAA with Serbia now

29/04/2008

LUXEMBOURG -- The EU foreign ministers decided on Tuesday (April 29th) to offer Serbia the opportunity to sign a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the Union now rather than later. The Beta news agency reports Serbian President Boris Tadic is heading to Luxembourg Tuesday. Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel explained that EU's decision to give the green light does not mean automatic implementation; that will occur only when the EU is sure Serbia is fully co-operating with the UN war crimes tribunal. Many view Tuesday's offer as an attempt to boost the ratings of pro-EU and reform-oriented parties, such as Tadic's, ahead of the May 11th parliamentary elections in Serbia. (BBC, AFP, Beta - 28/04/08)