EU looking to integrate Serbia

BRUSSELS, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- The European Union should consider integrating Serbia further into the EU, the minister in charge of EU enlargement says.

Olli Rehn told reporters in Brussels Thursday that the European Commission must first be assured that Serbia has crucially improved its cooperation with The Hague Tribunal investigating war crimes, the Serbian newspaper BLIC reports.

Rehn said he thinks it is time to allow the provisional trade agreement with the EU to be unblocked.

He said Serbia can be integrated further into the European Union while, at the same time, maintaining friendly trade, economic and political ties to the Russian Federation, Serbia broadcaster B92 reports.

Rehn added that good political and economic relations between Serbia and Russia would benefit everyone in Europe.