Serbia to start accession talks with EU in 2014

Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger hopes for soon ratification of Stabilization and Association Agreement between Serbia and EU and start of accession talks by 2014 the latest.

In his interview for Belgrade daily “Blic” he said that it’s not real all Western Balkan countries to join EU by 2014.

“The purpose of my visit to Belgrade is to give you the message of my country’s support for your country’s EU integration”, Spindelegger points out.

He said that he is doing this in a moment when the EU member states are not were enthusiastic about EU enlargement process and there is no optimism for faster integration of Western Balkan countries.

“The joint initiative of Greece and Austria for integration of the Western Balkan countries by 2014 is based on their position that “the two countries believe that there is no need of black hole in the frameworks of EU and because all countries of the region should join EU”, Spindelegger noted.

Austrian FM didn’t want to give a forecast, which country will join first and therefore he said that Austria would want to see all countries, including Kosovo, as part of EU.