EU, Montenegro sign association agreement

BRUSSELS, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- The European Union and Montenegro signed an association accord, the former Yugoslav republic’s key step in becoming member of the Western bloc.

EU and Montenegrin officials on Monday signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement in Luxembourg on the sidelines of a foreign ministers’ meeting, the Serbian news agency Beta reported.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said Montenegro is due to carry out a series of economic and political reforms before it opens access talks.

Montenegro is the fourth Western Balkan country that has signed its SAA with the EU, following Slovenia, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania.

Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina are the two remaining former Yugoslav states that have yet to sign stabilization and association agreements.