BRUSSELS, Jan 28 (Hina) - One of the paths Southeast European countries must take on their way to Europe goes through The Hague, British Secretary for European issues Dennis MacShane said in Brussels on Tuesday.
BRUSSELS, Jan 28 (Hina) - One of the paths Southeast European
countries must take on their way to Europe goes through The Hague,
British Secretary for European issues Dennis MacShane said in
Brussels on Tuesday. #L#
The Briton said this after a meeting of the European Union's council
for general and foreign affairs, which tackled the situation in the
western Balkans and the region's prospects of joining the EU.
MacShane said that establishing the rule of law was the central
issue in five Southeast European countries, which included
combating organised crime, people smuggling and corruption, as
well as cooperation with the Hague-based war crimes tribunal.
The British official particularly called on Croatia and Serbia to
fully cooperate with the U.N. tribunal at the Hague and extradite
war crimes indictees.
The meeting was attended by foreign ministers, assistant ministers
and heads of countries' missions to the EU. The participants agreed
that all countries in the region should attach special attention to
the judiciary, interior affairs and cooperation with the UN
tribunal.
The European Commission President, Romano Prodi, said to the
Southeast European countries, included in the Stabilisation and
Association Process (Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Yugoslavia,
Macedonia and Albania), that there were no shortcuts on the way to
the European Union. He said that all countries must meet the
Copenhagen criteria and adopt acquis communautaire.
Prodi said Croatia would soon submit an applicaion for membership
of the European Union which, according to him, was not important
only for Croatia, but the entire region.
All of the participants supported a working document on priorities
for the western Balkans, jointly drafted by Greece and Italy, the
current and the future chair of the European Union.
The chairman of the meeting, Greek Foreign Minister Georgios
Papandreou, said the working programme was aimed at creating a
stable region in which human rights and the rights of minorities
would be respected.
It was also said that all countries of the region would be evaluated
according to their own merits and achievements.
Greece and Italy pointed out six priorities for the western Balkans
in their document - promoting peace, stability and democratic
development; continuing the Stabilisation and Association
Process; developing that process and adjusting it to a new
environment after the expansion of the European Union; initiating
"the process of the Balkans' integration with Europe"; directing
attention to issues important for the region such as the struggle
against organised crime, the return of refugees, the
reconstruction of the historical and religious facilities; the
promotion of regional cooperation and initiatives in Southeast
Europe.
The process of the Balkans' integration with Europe will be
initiated at a joint EU-Balkans summit to be held in Salonika in
June this year.
(hina) it sb