According to the draft statement, which the Dutch presidency sent to the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER), the paper "leaves the proposed start date for Zagreb's entry talks blank, to be filled in by EU leaders at their Dec. 16-17 summit", the agency reported.
Ministers are called to agree on a framework for talks proposed by the European Commission "with a view to opening accession negotiations on (date) provided that full cooperation with ICTY has been confirmed by the Council (of EU foreign ministers)".
The draft summit will first be considered by COREPER, a body consisting of ambassadors from EU member-states whic prepares summits.
Foreign ministers will convene on 13 December, a few days before the summit.
The ICTY Chief Prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, recently submitted a report to the UN Security Council saying that the case of the runaway general Ante Gotovina was the remaining problem in cooperation between Croatia and the tribunal.