Brussels, 02/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 2 June, the Spanish Presidency of the EU provided assurances that the future of countries in the Balkans was definitely in the European Union. At the end of the ministerial conference on 2 June in Sarajevo, which brought together ministers for foreign affairs from the EU27 and Balkan countries - Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Albania and Kosovo - the Spanish minister for foreign affairs, Angel Miguel Moratinos, stated: “I think the European Union and the Western Balkans decided to have a new deal - a deal of the future; a future of hope; a future of peace; a future of full integration in the EU”. At the end of the meeting, in which representatives from the US, Russia and Turkey, as well as several international organisations (NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe, etc) also participated, Moratinos said that the EU had reiterated “its unequivocal commitment” to offer each country in the region that respected the criteria the prospect of EU accession. In a declaration to the press, the Spanish foreign minister said that “the future of the Western Balkans lies in the EU”.
The commissioner for enlargement, Stefan Füle, explained that the Sarajevo meeting had “given new momentum for enlargement” which, it should be quite clearly acknowledged, does not figure in member states' priorities any more. Füle informed the press that “reaffirming the European perspective of this region at a time when the EU is struggling with an economic and financial crisis I think is the best proof of the importance of this enlargement policy”. The EU27 also called on Balkan countries to continue their domestic reforms so that they are able to fulfil accession criteria. Moratinos said that “being now firmly anchored in the EU's enlargement process, the Western Balkans must intensify their efforts to fulfil the necessary established criteria and agreed conditions on their path towards EU membership”. He also stressed that the progress of each country along the path to European integration would depend on its own merits. The Spanish foreign minister urged these countries to increase their regional cooperation. Moratinos explained that there were still, “unresolved problems between neighbours”, which Balkan countries had to tackle “in line with the European culture of integration: an internal process, in each country, of reconciliation with its neighbours”. (H.B./transl.fl)