13/02/2007 (Agence Europe) - Speaking in Brussels on Monday evening at the Western Balkans Forum attended by EU foreign ministers and their counterparts from the Western Balkans (Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), Commissioner Olli Rehn announced that talks initiated with these countries at the end of November 2006 on visa facilitation procedures for certain categories of persons (students, businessmen, research workers, etc.) and the conclusion of readmission agreements could be completed by March (see also EUROPE 9318). He also called on member states to ensure that, in their embassies and consulates established in the Balkans, they might facilitate to a maximum the administrative task of those countries' nationals who request visas to visit the EU. (hb)