Brussels, 22/01/2010 (Agence Europe) - During a meeting of Coreper (Committee of Permanent Representatives of EU member states) in early January, note was taken of Serbia's request to join the EU, submitted by Serbian President Boris Tadic on 22 December 2009 (EUROPE 10046), although it will not be discussed on Monday 25 January by the General Affairs and External Relations Council. Neither will it be discussed during the ministerial political dialogue between the EU and Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, to be held on Tuesday 26 January in Brussels, sources from the Spanish EU Presidency said on Friday. The 27 EU member states are currently at a “reflection stage” regarding the question of when the moment will be right to invite the Commission to prepare its opinion on Serbia's application to join the EU, the same source said. It is said that the (unanimous) Council decision inviting the Commission to prepare its opinion is linked to the ratification process of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), currently blocked by the Netherlands. As long as the SAA remains blocked, Serbia's accession process will also remain blocked, diplomats explain. In the meantime, it is important for Belgrade to pursue its reform programme and to continue implementation of the SAA interim agreement, they say. (H.B./transl.jl)