BOSNIA: European Union ministers say they remain committed to the integration of the Western Balkans into the bloc

Record ID: 788767

  • Title: BOSNIA: European Union ministers say they remain committed to the integration of the Western Balkans into the bloc
  • Date: 3rd June 2010
  • Summary: SARAJEVO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA (JUNE 2, 2010) (REUTERS) ***CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** SQUARE IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENTARY BUILDING WHERE CONFERENCE IS TAKING PLACE DELEGATIONS ARRIVING BY CAR SLOVENIAN DELEGATION WALKING UP MONTENEGRO DELEGATION WALKING UP VARIOUS OF DELEGATES WALKING UP AND ENTERING BUILDING EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN MINISTER CATHERINE ASHTON BEING GREETED BY BOSNIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SVEN ALKALAJ BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY WILLIAM HAGUE ARRIVING ASHTON AND ALKALAJ GREETING SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER MIGUEL ANGEL MORATINOS, ALL THREE POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS SIGN AT ENTRANCE TO MEETING ROOM READING IN ENGLISH 'EUROPEAN UNION - WESTERN BALKANS HIGH LEVEL MEETING' MORATINOS AND ASHTON ENTERING ROOM ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER FRANCO FRATINI VARIOUS OF FOREIGN MINISTERS WALKING AROUND ROOM AHEAD OF MEETING DELEGATIONS GATHERING FOR MEETING SLOVAK FOREIGN MINISTER MIROSLAV LAJCAK STANDING NEXT TO ANOTHER DELEGATE FOREIGN MINISTERS IN ROOM SERBIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VUK JEREMIC (WEARING RED TIE) DELEGATES STANDING AND TALKING AHEAD OF MEETING ASHTON STANDING NEXT TO ANOTHER DELEGATE VARIOUS OF DELEGATES TAKING THEIR SEATS DOOR CLOSING AT START OF THE MEETING
  • Embargoed: 18th June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA8BI8PUTT8JAMP51CTCHMJM9LS
  • Story Text: European Union ministers said on Wednesday (June 2) they remained committed to the integration of the Western Balkans into the bloc, dismissing fears of "enlargement fatigue" in the wake of the Greek financial crisis.
    Of the nations that emerged from the violent collapse of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Slovenia has already joined the EU, Croatia is close to membership and Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia have applied. To the south, Albania has also applied.
    Bosnia, which remains an international protectorate divided along ethnic lines, and Kosovo, whose independence Serbia and some EU states do not recognise, are lagging behind.
    "The last five months, six months, in the Western Balkans has been, let's be frank, the most peaceful, productive, hopeful of the last recent history," said Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos whose country initiated the meeting, at a news conference.
    "Because I think everybody are acknowledged and aware that we have to move forward in a constructive and positive manner. I think if I have to qualify or just to define what has been the result of the conference, even if you have of course the presidential statement, it will be two words: engagement and responsibility. Engagement of all partners towards a full reconciliation, engagement for a better future for the region, and the responsibility of all parties in order to produce the result we are trying to achieve," he added.
    EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said that the conference was about new momentum and enlargement.
    "I think this conference today was about to show clearly that there is not that much ground for enlargement fatigue among the member states and too much ground for enlargement apathy among the candidate countries and aspirants," he said.
    The EU last year extended to citizens of Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia the right to travel without visas to the Schengen area, which includes most member states. Last week Brussels proposed widening that benefit to Bosnia and Albania this year.
    Regional officials and diplomats say better ties among the former Yugoslav states in recent months could help integration.
    Valentin Inzko, the EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, said a possible date for a group of Balkans nations to enter the EU could be 2018, the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One, triggered by an assassination in Sarajevo.
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