Brussels, 22/08/2002 (Agence Europe) - Christina Gallach, spokeswoman for Javier Solana, the CFSP High Representative declared that, "the Union will continue working with Serbia and Montenegro, as well as its diplomatic efforts". The Spokeswoman was responding to a letter by Montenegrin President, Milo Djukanovic, which appeared in the Washington Post on Tuesday, declaring that, "anti-reform politicians" supported by some EU bureaucracies were threatening to stall democratic progress in Montenegro. He claimed that, "For several months the EU bureaucracy in Brussels has in effect tried to rewrite the agreement" the Belgrade Agreement signed by Serbia and Montenegro in March to create the future State of Serbia and Montenegro (Editor's note…a move toward the economic subordination of Montenegro by Belgrade").
"We are in permanent contact with Mr Djukanovic's advisors, who are continuing to work with us", explained Ms Gallach. In this connection, Stéphane Lehne, Mr Solana's advisor on the Balkans, has been in Yugoslavia since Thursday (he will be there until Sunday) to review the progress of the Constitutional Committee, which is currently drafting the Constitutional Charter for the future State (see EUROPE 15 March). On his return, he will have an exchange of views with Mr Solana to determine whether a visit of the High Representative to the country is desirable (either at the end of August or beginning of September) or whether an informal Foreign Affairs Ministerial meeting will tackle the subject at Elsinore on 30-31 August. The work of the Constitutional Committee is expected to be finished at the end of August, which should allow for the ratification of the constitutional charter of the future State within the perspective of the Presidential elections in Serbia on 29 September and the Parliamentary elections in Montenegro on 6 October. Nevertheless, "this will be the responsibility of the two committed parties", explained Chistina Gallach acknowledged that, "if we have really made progress in the economic arena, certain political aspects must still be resolved, such as the issue of direct or indirect elections of joint structure in the new federation". The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Peter Schneider, declared on Tuesday that the slow progress in negotiations between the two republics could hold up the admission of Yugoslavia to the Council of Europe.