Miliband says Western Balkan’s future is in Europe

TIRANA, Oct 27 – In a speech in London to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) on European and UK priorities, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband highlighted the importance of the Western Balkans to the future security, stability and prosperity of the EU. He stated that “…Geographically, our first responsibility is to the Western Balkans. European membership is the only prize big enough to elicit compromise and reform from historical rivals with vested interests and entrenched views.
“Frankly, we saw in the 1990s the dangers of benign neglect. The opening of the trial today in the Hague of Karadzic is a reminder of this.
All 27 EU member states have made clear that EU membership is the future for all the countries of the Western Balkans, when they are ready.”