EU to sign Serbia deal on ties


War-crimes suspects Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic are still on the run



The EU will sign a pact on closer ties with Serbia on Tuesday according to the Slovenian EU presidency.
The Serbian president is expected to sign the accord at 1600 (1400 GMT) after objections from Belgium and the Netherlands were overcome.
Both countries insisted that Belgrade must aaaay co-operate with the Hague war crimes tribunal before Serbia enjoys the benefits of a pact.
But they add Serbia should be sent a positive message before May elections.
Nationalist parties are ahead in the opinion polls following Kosovos declaration of independence and its recognition by a majority of EU member states.
DUTCH-BELGIAN COMPROMISE
Gesture to Serbs that their future lies in Europe
Signing of deal acceptable if followed by immediate suspension
No advantages for Serbia until aaaa co-operation with Hague Tribunal


Signing the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) would not only pave the way to aaaa membership but give Serbs closer trade relations and more relaxed visa requirements.
Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic paid a surprise visit to Luxembourg on Monday in an attempt to press the Slovenian EU presidency to reach an agreement on offering the deal.
But the Netherlands and Belgium objected to Serbia being rewarded with a deal before it was considered to have aaaay co-operated with the war-crimes tribunal.
They insist that Serbia should hand over two war crimes suspects wanted in connection with the massacre of 8000 Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica: Bosnian Serb ex-army leader Ratko Mladic and war-time political leader Radovan Karadzic.
A spokesman for Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen told the BBC News website on Tuesday that the signing of an SAA and an interim accord to implement the details of it could take place but only if the agreements were "simultaneously suspended". "If anything is signed today it will have to mean that Serbia will not enjoy any of the benefits of the SAA" the spokesman said. But he added that would change as soon as the foreign ministers were happy that Belgrade was co-operating aaaay with the tribunal.