Olli Rehn Quotations

Serbia has a concrete and tangible EU perspective, but Serbia has to make sure that its future is not taken hostage to certain obstacles.

Significant efforts are needed to effectively combat organized crime and corruption, especially at high level.

Negotiations may be cut off on extraordinary circumstances, as it is stated in Turkey's framework document. For instance, in cases of violation of human rights or basic rights, negotiations will be cut off,

I am confident we will have a positive outcome and start negotiations (with Turkey) tomorrow.

I am confident that the member states will agree on a counter-declaration and on the negotiating framework so that talks can start on Oct. 3,

Today indeed marks the start of a new phase in the relationship between European Union and Serbia and Montenegro,

It is now high time to complete the work, locate, arrest and transfer Ratko Mladic to The Hague without delay and if that is not the case in the next few days then we have no other option than to call off the next negotiation round.

It is high time that Serbia reaches full co-operation with the ICTY. That is the way to avoid the disruption of the negotiations, that the negotiations would be put on hold when the next round takes place.

Suspension of negotiations is certainly one alternative, and I expect that the Serbian government will take this message very seriously. Serbia has to chose now between its nationalist past and a European future.

The accession process is a tool for enhancing security and stability in that region which has suffered so many wars and ethnic conflicts in the last decade,

We can say that after a long night, there's a new dawn now for the Western Balkans,

We recommend a constitutional evolution, rather than a constitutional revolution,

Today we are marking the start of the talks

Turkey's fit to open the negotiations with the European Union,

Urgent efforts are needed here as nobody should be above the law,

We should either have the constitutional treaty in force or we should decide how we amend or develop the provisions of the current treaty,

Bold and significant reforms have been undertaken in Turkey in the last couple of years. However, the pace of change has slowed in 2005 and even though there is progress in implementation it still remains uneven. Therefore, significant further efforts are needed,

During the negotiations we will continue to monitor progress closely and the European Commission will not hesitate to recommend the suspension of negotiations if the efforts

This means 71 veto points for each member state. That is quite a strong safeguard

A suspension of negotiations would not provide any improvement in the situation for the moment.

The agreement ... paves the way for a smooth adoption of the negotiating framework and thus the opening of the accession negotiations with Turkey,

The agreement between the member states paves the way for a smooth adoption of the negotiating framework and thus the opening of the accession negotiations with Turkey on Oct. 3,

They can count on it that the EU will in principle use the same logic and calculations as during the expansion from 15 to 25.

The negotiations, once started, will certainly be long and difficult. And in many ways the process of negotiations and reform will be as important as the outcome.

Serbia truly is at a crossroads today. It's clear 2006 is a year of major challenges.

Serbia still has some weeks to achieve full cooperation -- roughly at the end of March.

If Serbia-Montenegro still fails to achieve full cooperation with the (International Criminal Tribunal for ex-Yugoslavia) we cannot avoid disruption of the negotiations.

I hope member states can soon agree on what the accession of a 28th member state would mean in terms of the composition of the commission and voting rights in the council,

In the months to come, particular attention must be paid to actual implementation and enforcement of the reforms,

Before April 5, we'll have to decide whether we can hold the negotiation round or whether this negotiation round will have to be put on hold because of lack of full cooperation by Serbia.

This is a litmus test whether Turkey is seriously committed to the freedom of expression and reforms that enhance the rule of law and benefit all Turkish citizens.

Europe will get a stable and prosperous Turkey.

We need to consolidate our enlargement agenda but be cautious with new commitments.