13/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - Serbian authorities appear to be ready to delay their request to join the EU, which had been announced for the end of June at the latest. On 9 February, Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn suggested that Serbia await the coming into effect of the interim stabilisation and association agreement (SAA), currently being blocked by the Netherlands, before submitting its application for accession (see EUROPE 9837). Rehn repeated his call in Belgrade on 12 February. Serbian President Boris Tadic announced afterwards that he would give careful consideration to Rehn's “realistic analysis”. What mattered for Serbia was the “final goal”, that is, accession, not short-term targets, said Tadic, quoted by the VIP News Service Belgrade. (H.B./transl.rt)