EC to resume SAA talks with Serbia

HELSINKI, Finland — The European Commission (EC) will resume Stabilisation and Association Agreement negotiations with Serbia, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told Serbian President Boris Tadic in Helsinki on Saturday (June 2nd). He said the talks would probably resume in about ten days, although the exact date will not be determined until UN Chief Prosecutor Carla del Ponte completes her trip to Belgrade Monday and releases her report on the level of co-operation.

Tadic said Serbia is ready to do anything in its power to finalise co-operation with the tribunal. This is important not only for the country’s EU perspective, but also for the sake of domestic security, he said. Both Tadic and Rehn stressed that the issues of Kosovo and Serbian ties with the EU would be treated separately. (Politika, Danas – 03/06/07; Tanjug, Beta, B92, AFP, Newsroom Finland – 02/06/07)