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EU Ministers Recommend Launching Accession Talks With Serbia

June 25, 2013

European Union governments have reached a preliminary agreement to open membership talks with Serbia.

The decision was made by EU ministers meeting on June 25 in Luxembourg.

It still has to be confirmed by leaders of EU states at a summit in Brussels on June 27-28.

Diplomats indicated the talks could start by early 2014 at the latest.

The ministers also recommended that negotiations should start on an association agreement for Kosovo.

The decisions had been contingent on Belgrade and Pristina taking steps to normalize their relations.

Serbia refuses to recognize the independence majority ethnic Albanian Kosovo declared in 2008.

After lengthy negotiations mediated by the EU, Serbia and Kosovo signed a deal in April on normalizing their ties.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele welcomed the recommendation as "proof of credibility after unprecedented steps on normalization with Kosovo."

Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and dpa

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/eu-serbia-accession-talks/25027780.html

Copyright (c) 2013. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.