Chances for Serbia to get German ‘yes’ and even unconditional candidate status became more realistic after seven-hour debate by EU diplomacy chiefs during which twenty four countries defended interest of Belgrade.
As in every good news, there is one ‘but’ in this one, too. During the marathon meeting, Germany with the help by Holland set a new condition for the candidate status: agreement over regional representation of Kosovo.
The condition has been accepted and included in official conclusions by the Council of Ministers. Continuation in removing the barricades has been also included.
As ‘Blic’ was told by diplomatic sources in Brussels, the ministerial meeting was very dramatic. The very fact that there was a seven-hour debate on Serbia is unusual and shows sympathy and partnership towards Serbia.
German voice
Only Germany and Holland were against giving of the candidate status to Serbia, while Austria suggested conditional candidacy what would practically mean delay until March next year. It is interesting that Dutch officials were against Serbia although only a couple of days earlier they were offering strong support to Serbia, publicly at least. ‘Blic’ sources claim that France, the Great Britain and Belgium were supporting Serbia very strongly.
The new condition was set to Serbia suddenly and in the middle of the night. Already exhausted, certain ministers asked Germany what it was that Germany was requesting to give green light to Serbia. The reply was: agreement over regional representation of Kosovo. That was accepted.
The EU diplomacy chiefs supported recommendation by the European Commission that Serbia is given the candidate status. Now the final decision is to be made by chiefs of states and governments who are to meet the day after yesterday.
Regional representation
As ‘Blic’ learns from sources close to Serbia President it shall not be easy to fulfill this condition. Proposal by Belgrade is that Kosovo can attend all regional initiatives and forums but named as per the UN SC Resolution 1244.
Pristina is not accepting it and Brussels is suggesting as a compromise use of formulation of ‘all relevant resolutions’ concerning Kosovo. The problem of that proposal is that all of those resolutions are not in favor of Serbia. That makes the agreement uncertain.
Precedent in the EU
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister for European integration Bozidar Djelic thinks that setting of this new condition is a precedent.
‘It is very unusual and it has never happened until so far that between two meetings of the Council of Ministers and European Council one country is expected to do something and that such request is included in officials conclusion. As regards agreement with Pristina, Serbia is ready for compromise but it is not ready to violate its Constitution’, Djelic told ‘Blic’.
Still without agreement
Chief of Belgrade negotiating team Borislav Stefanovic talked yesterday via video link with the EU mediator Robert Cooper over regional representation of Kosovo, but no agreement was reached. Stefanovic said that talks would be continued today and tomorrow.
Source blic.rs
