Human Rights Watch: arrest Mladic then ratify SAA

In a letter to EU foreign affairs ministers, Human Rights Watch said that the EU should remain firm and require Serbia to arrest Ratko Mladic before allowing Serbia to establish closer ties with the EU. The statement comes just before the EU Foreign Affairs Council will consider the ratification process for the Stabilization and Association Agreement with Serbia.

The agreement must be ratified by all 27 EU member states. Remarkably, so far, only the Netherlands and Belgium have publicly said they would not ratify the agreement because of Serbia's outstanding obligations with respect to the tribunal.