Brussels, 09/12/2010 (Agence Europe) - Croatia will probably be able to close three further chapters in its accession negotiations at the ministerial negotiation meeting (accession conference) scheduled to take place in Brussels on 22 December, diplomats revealed on Thursday 9 December. It should be able to close the chapters on the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), the Environment and Justice, Freedom and Security. That will mean that, in all, it has closed 28 of the 35 chapters. No further negotiation meeting is planned before the end of the year for Turkey, however.
Council conclusions. On Tuesday 14 December, the General Affairs Council will discuss enlargement. It will adopt conclusions restating the “strong commitment” of the EU to continuing the process of enlargement on the basis of the agreed principles. The EU must continue to set “fair and rigorous” conditions, to communicate better and to make sure that the EU has the capacity to take in new members, ministers will state. The Council will note “with deep regret” that Turkey is still failing to apply the protocol on the extension of the customs union to Cyprus (the chapters suspended in 2006 will, therefore, remain deadlocked). Ankara could speed up negotiations by meeting the benchmarks in the various chapters and “by respecting its contractual obligations towards the EU”, member states say. For Croatia, “the conclusion of the negotiations is within reach”, though further effort is needed to enhance judicial independence and efficiency, in tackling corruption, on public administration reform, on the rights of minorities, on refugee return and also on war crime trials. The prospect of accession for all the countries of the Western Balkans is restated, provided they can meet the criteria. The Council is expected to “broadly share” the Commission opinion that the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) has met the criteria sufficiently well to be able to begin accession talks. At the same time, it is clear that the political conditions (Ed: dispute with Greece over the use of the name “Macedonia”) are not right for a unanimous go-ahead to be given by member states. The issue might very well be discussed again under Hungarian Presidency. The Council will take note of the Commission recommendation that Montenegro be granted applicant country status, but is expected to take the view that this is not the right time to do so. Serbia is expected to be encouraged to further strengthen cooperation with the ICTY (the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia). The Council is likely to agree to review the Serbian candidacy after the Commission has delivered its second “opinion” (in the latter half of next year). Bosnia and Herzgovina will be called on swiftly to comply with the political criteria, to meet the obligations on it from the SAA and “to speed up the relevant reforms which are essential for further progress towards EU membership”. For Kosovo, the Council will repeat the EU's willingness to “facilitate” the process of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. The Commission will be asked to bring forward a proposal so that Kosovo can be involved in EU programmes. The Council will also ask the Commission to continue assisting Kosovo in its efforts to meet the criteria for a potential trade agreement with the EU “without prejudice to member states' position on status”. (H.B./transl.rt)