http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=572526&cate_img=logo_wo rld&cate_rss=WORLD_eng <http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=572526&cate_img=logo_w orld&cate_rss=WORLD_eng> EU holds off on fast-track to EU membership for Serbia By CONSTANT BRAND Associated Press 2007-12-15 12:46 AM
European Union leaders backed away Friday from offering Serbia a fast-track to EU membership and again cautioned Belgrade that its future entry hinges on full cooperation in handing over war crimes fugitives for trial. Emerging from a one-day summit, the 27 EU leaders also resisted endorsing unilateral independence for Kosovo, the troubled southern Serb province. There had been speculation the EU might offer Belgrade faster entry to cushion the blow of possibly losing Kosovo. But the leaders chose their words carefully, with French President Nicolas Sarkozy speaking of the need to "send a positive signal to Serbia." The summit ended with participants saying that a unilateral declaration of Kosovan independence would be premature. If anything, even more cracks appeared as Romania and Slovakia joined Cyprus _ until now the lone voice of opposition _ in firmly opposing independence now for Kosovo. The EU leaders agreed to try to coordinate a phased-in recognition of Kosovo's independence and also left the door open for a negotiated settlement between Serb and ethnic Albanian leaders. "The answer is no" on immediate unilateral recognition, said Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates, who chaired the summit. "What we do now is undertake negotiations in the United Nations Security Council." Leaders agreed to send a 1,800-strong policing and security mission to Kosovo to replace the current United Nations administrative mission. "This is a European matter. Europe has agreed in principle to send a civil force," Sarkozy said. The French leader said Serbia could only join the EU if it lived up to international demands to hand over war crime suspects and respected Kosovo independence. Socrates added that only if Belgrade meets the usual entry conditions of good governance and respect for human rights "can the (accession) negotiations can be accelerated." Memories of deep divisions over the Balkan wars in the 1990s _ which led to the union's inability to prevent the fighting _ still haunts EU capitals. Slovakia and Romania said Friday they would not recognize a unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said Serbia was "receiving slaps from each side," and added: "We're refusing to connect Serbia's European future with Kosovo in any way." Spain, Slovakia, Romania and Greece also have expressed fears that independence for Kosovo would encourage separatist movements elsewhere. Ethnic Albanians, who comprise 90 percent of Kosovo's 2 million people, insist on independence. Serbia, backed by Russia, insists the province must remain Serbian territory. Ethnic Albanians expect swift recognition of independence from the EU and others. But Serbs have threatened to leave or to group in Kosovo's north, where most of them live, and call for the territory to unite with Serbia. -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
