EU foreign ministers expressed concern today at developments in Serbia since parliamentary elections in December, fearing it may drift away from reform and cooperation with war crimes investigators.
Conservative leader Mr Vojislav Kostunica said on Friday he would form a Serbian minority government backed by allies of jailed former leader Slobodan Milosevic, a prospect that worries Western powers.
"The Council (of foreign ministers) expressed concern at political developments in Serbia following the parliamentary elections of 28 December 2003," a statement said.
"It emphasised the interest of the European Union in a Serbia committed to political and economic reform... full cooperation with ICTY, the fight against organised crime and continued reconciliation and cooperation with neighbouring countries."
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), is trying to arrest two war crimes indictees, Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, whom UN war crimes prosecutor Carla del Ponte said recently were hiding in Serbia.
Asked about reports that the new government may be less cooperative with the court than its predecessor, EU External Relations Commissioner Mr Chris Patten suggested it may reflect posturing for public opinion, but warned of consequences if not.
"Of course you can only judge governments by what they do, rather than what they say when they're being formed and before they're formed," he told a news conference, adding:
"It's perfectly clear what the political criteria are. Plainly there are consequences if people say they're not going to take any notice of those political criteria."
EU foreign policy chief Mr Javier Solana told the same conference he expected the new government to cooperate with the court.
"For us it would be fundamental that the government not only continues with the process of reforms but also keeps the agreements it has with the international community vis-a-vis the international tribunal," he said.