Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-11-14-Speech-2-378"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20061114.38.2-378"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, the Council has worked continuously to ensure that the Union is committed in the future to closer relations between the Western Balkan countries and Europe. It confirmed its complete support in the Salzburg Declaration of March 2006 for the agenda set out at the Thessaloniki Summit in 2003 and for furthering the Stabilisation and Association Process.
One of the major challenges this term has been how to ensure support for the current talks on the status of Kosovo, headed by UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari. The talks have also featured a plan for the EU’s future position and presence, especially in the areas of policing, the rule of law and the economy.
Since the referendum in Montenegro and the Republic of Montenegro’s declaration of independence, the European Union and its Member States have agreed to develop relations with Montenegro as a sovereign, independent country and have urged both Serbia and Montenegro to continue with their frank and constructive dialogue on future relations.
The Council welcomed the fact that the elections in the Republic of Montenegro went peacefully and without problems, and the recommencement of talks on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. The Council stressed that the speed of progress of the talks and their conclusion depended in particular on Montenegro’s progress in implementing the necessary reforms.
Work has continued on bringing to conclusion the negotiations on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the elections in early October, the Council emphasised that recently elected political institutions needed to accelerate the implementation of all the reforms that were required for concluding the Agreement. The Council also welcomed the report by Javier Solana and Olli Rehn on a reinforced EU presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The purpose of reinforcing its presence is to prepare for, and put into effect, the move away from the current arrangement towards greater local responsibility.
Talks with Serbia will continue once it is seen to be cooperating fully with the International Criminal Court for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The Council repeated that a peaceful, prosperous Serbia, one that is a full ally of the European nations, is very important for the stability of the entire region.
In accordance with the commitments made at the Thessaloniki Summit in 2003 and the Salzburg meeting in 2006, the Council has endeavoured to make closer ties to the EU more tangible, by, for example, increasing contact between people by means of agreements that facilitate the issue of visas concluded with all the countries in the Western Balkans. The mandate for negotiations for such agreements was adopted yesterday by the General Affairs and External Relations Council. Similarly, the mandate for negotiations was adopted for readmission agreements with Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Macedonia in the former Yugoslavia, Montenegro and Serbia. Albania already has a readmission agreement with the EU.
Negotiations with all the Western Balkan countries are to start on 30 November in Brussels. The purpose is to bring the talks to conclusion as soon as possible.
The Council, moreover, supported regional cooperation and the local responsibility of various regional forums, not least the reform of the Central European Free Trade Agreement and its expansion to include all the Balkan countries. The Council welcomed the initialling of the Central European Free Trade Agreement on 9 November in all the countries in the Balkan region, excluding Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. The Council anticipates that the Free Trade Agreement will be signed according to plan on 19 December during the CEFTA Summit in Bucharest."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples