Servië moet oorlogsmisdadigers uitleveren voordat stabiliteitspact met EU wordt getekend, zegt Del Ponte (en)

Serbia must deliver indicted war criminals to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) before it can sign any Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU, ICTY Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte told the EP's Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday. Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic assured MEPs that "Serbia stands ready to fulfil its obligations," while warning that his government is not willing to accept an independent Kosovo.

On the EU's role in ensuring cooperation with the ICTY, MEPs and guests broadly agreed. "EU conditionality is a crucial tool for encouraging cooperation with the ICTY. 90% of those in custody now are there as a direct result of EU conditionality," said Ms Del Ponte. She also said the EU should not sign an SAA with Serbia until the four fugitives still at large are arrested and extradited. "We need to make clear that [Radovan] Karadzic and [Ratko] Mladic shouldn't be under the illusion that they can just wait out the ICTY," she said, adding that "Serbia has the political will now to hand over the four remaining fugitives. Co-operation has not been full or consistent, but recent signs are positive."

Speaking later in the afternoon, the Serbian Foreign Minister echoed this sentiment, noting that "all fugitives must be located, arrested and extradited." He assured MEPs that his government had won the elections on a platform of co-operation with the ICTY and regards this as a political priority. The minister said that his government's fundamental priority was to work towards full membership in the European Union, and expressed his hope that the SAA could be signed by the end of this year.

Kosovo

On Kosovo, views were much less harmonious. Mr Jeremic declared that "an imposed solution is not sustainable, for it would sow the seeds of future conflicts in the region." He said that the Serbian government was "ready to talk, but not if the outcome of the talks is pre-determined." He called for a common, compromise solution to be found under the auspices of the UN, which would "reflect the wishes of the stakeholders: the people of the Western Balkans."

Hannes Swoboda (PES, AT) admitted that "we may have to agree to disagree on the Kosovo issue," but warned the minister that "it is your responsibility to prepare for the eventuality of an 'internationally imposed' status settlement, and ensure that it does not cause turbulence in the region." Mr Jeremic replied that "no country in the world would accept the taking away of a part of its sovereign territory," and warned that Serbia would have to reconsider its relations with any country that unilaterally recognised Kosovo's independence.

Responding to criticism from Angelika Beer (Greens/EFA, DE), who claimed the prosecutor had "overstepped [her] role by calling for the final status talks on Kosovo to be delayed," Ms Del Ponte replied that "politics always tries to interfere with my work, so I must sometimes fight back. I toed the line, but I did not overstep my competences." She said she only called on the UN Security Council to act in a way as to avoid negative consequences for the apprehension of fugitives still at large.

Jelko Kacin (ALDE, SL), the EP's rapporteur on Serbia, argued that whatever the disagreements, the Parliament should take care to keep Serbia's accession prospects and the final status question of Kosovo separate. This view was supported by most of the political groups in the committee, who will be voting on a report on EU-Serbian relations in September.

26/06/2007

Committee on Foreign Affairs

In the Chair: : Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (EPP-ED, PL)

Procedure: Own-initiative report