"The European perspective is certainly not a legend" for the Balkans; "it is indeed a real possibility". Ursula Plassnik, Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, president on duty of the EU Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, comments with a short statement "this important day for the Balkan region". In Luxembourg, where the heads of the diplomacies of the 25 member states are holding their meeting, Plassnik says that the EU "opens today some fundamental negotiations for the accession of Croatia to the EU". In addition, the Austrian Minister stresses the importance of the Agreement for stabilisation and association with Albania, which has been signed today with the Albanian Prime Minister Berisha, and the new outlook on the status of Montenegro, "in the light of the recent referendum" that ratified its independence from Serbia. Plassnik specifies that the meeting will prepare the Council of the Heads of State and Government of next Thursday and Friday and will address "the recent developments in the Middle East" and the "Iranian nuclear policy". The Minister of Vienna concludes by stating that "on this day, the EU Ministers will join forces to solve the negotiations for Turkey’s accession to the EU", which see a veto to the Republic of Cyprus. "We will face every single step of the process together and in mutual agreement. We have always been aware of the difficulties and the length of the accession process. There are no shortcuts or automatisms".
