Kostunica pushes for EU membership

The Yugoslav president has been making the rounds of European institutions

Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica has told the European Parliament that his country wants to join the European Union "as soon as possible."

It was his second major speech in Strasbourg in less than a week, following an address to the Council of Europe last Thursday.

We have to develop good neighbourly relations, free trade and collective security structures

Vojislav Kostunica

He said Yugoslavia was "aware that we would have to change many of our habits and institutions" in order to join the EU.

However, he made no specific commitment to hand over former President Slobodan Milosevic to The Hague war crimes tribunal - one of Western countries' main demands of his new regime.

Mr Kostunica said only that the UN war crimes office in Belgrade should restart its work.

Stability first

But he also said he understood that Yugoslav membership depended on peace and stability throughout the Balkans.

"We are aware that none of the Balkan countries will be able to join the EU on its own", he said.

"We have to develop good neighbourly relations, free trade and collective security structures first. We are certain that the EU will support precisely that kind of development."

The Yugoslav president also asked for European Union help in securing the return of refugees and reversing the environmental damage caused by last year's Nato bombing campaign.