The EU is preparing to tell Croatia that, judging by all accounts, the talks can start in April next year, but that it must fully cooperate with the Hague tribunal, Bot said at a news conference. He added that
Croatia's cooperation with the ICTY would be reviewed by the Council of the EU on the basis of reports from different sources, but that an opinion would first be asked from the Hague tribunal.
The final decision on a date for the start of talks will be made on Friday by the European Council, which consists of EU heads of state and government, while EU foreign ministers today only explored different possibilities.
Asked whether next March was still being considered as a possible start date, Bot said that April was a more probable date for technical reasons. Earlier in the day diplomatic sources mentioned March as the month when the talks could start.
Bot said he expected the Croatian government to do its utmost with regard to full cooperation with the Hague tribunal.