EU called on Serbia to sign with it a provisional agreement that would be mainly a trade one, on February 7, immediately after presidential election. Although the formal reason for decision not to sign the agreement with Serbia was found in opposition by the Netherlands and Belgium that no signing should take place before completion of the cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, the crucial EU message is ‘choose a democratic president on February 3 and the door of Europe shall be opened’.

The agreement that the EU proposed for February 7 is actually a provisional agreement on cooperation in the sphere of trade and visas and its implementation would be coordinated by EU working group as Dmitrij Rupel explained. ‘The agreement leaves open EU door to Serbia’, Rupel said.
EU high representative Javier Solana said this to be a message to Serbia that ‘it is an important part of Europe’.
‘Blic’ sources from EU, claim however, that the delay in signing of SAA had not been caused exclusively by opposition by the Netherlands and Belgium. Actually that was used as a mere cover up for the real reason hiding in the fact that the EU is not ready to sign the agreement before Serbia gets a pro-European president. That president would have to guarantee not only the full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, but implementation of that agreement as well.
‘Serbia shall sign the SAA with EU immediately after the second round of presidential election if it is won by DS candidate Boris Tadic’, our source said categorically.
The decision that was already made about signing of the agreement on January 28 was withheld after results of the first round of presidential election, this source claims. He reminds that Nikolic threatened to cancel the cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.
Some EU members considered as counterproductive withdrawal of the previously made decision and until yesterday were strongly supporting signing of the agreement as the clearest signal of support to democratic forces in Serbia and their presidential candidate.
‘Blic’ source also points out absence of united stance within the ruling coalition in Belgrade regarding signing of SAA on the eve of EU Council of ministers’ meeting that debated about relations with Belgrade. While Tadic was pointing out that signing of the agreement was in the interest of Serbia, DSS leader and also Prime Minister Kostunica claimed that signing of the agreement meant recognition of Kosovo independence.
Kostunica said that ‘EU mission in Kosovo makes senseless and nulls the agreement and the eventual signature on it turns the agreement into something that it originally should not have been, recognition of Kosovo independence’.
Milica Delevic Djilas, assistant to Foreign Minister explains for ‘Blic’ that this is a provisional agreement that shall be in force until all EU members ratify agreement on stabilization and association.
‘Such agreement is in force in Montenegro and it is a step forward in relation to the initialing of agreement in November. Every offer by EU that something is signed is more important than initialing of the agreement’ Delevic says.
‘I frankly hope and I shall do my utmost that Serbia gets very constructive message from EC ministers showing our dedication to Serbia’s association with EU as soon as possible’, EU high representative Javier Solana said ahead of the meeting of EU diplomacy chiefs in Brussels.

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