Sweden plays down Balkan EU hopes

Just before Sweden assumed the six-month Presidency of the EU on the 1 July 2009 its Foreign Minister Carl Bildt played down expectations that its Presidency would succeed in solving various Balkan territorial and political disputes that were frustrating the EU membership aspirations of the region’s states.

Report of a Press Conference given by Mt Bildt in Brussels, 22 June 2009 outlining the priorities of Sweden's EU Presidency.

ESO: Background information: Sweden: EU Presidency, July-December 2009 http://www.europeansources.info/record/website-sweden-eu-presidency-july-december-2009/

Deutsche Welle, 22.6.09: Incoming EU presidency says Croatia's accession talks on ice http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4416203,00.html

Sweden: EU Presidency: Press release, 22.6.09: Bildt and Malmström on the priorities for the Swedish EU Presidency http://www.se2009.eu/en/meetings_news/2009/6/22/bildt_and_malmstrom_on_the_priorities_for_the_swedish_eu_presidency.html

EurActiv, 23.6.09: Sweden declines EU trouble-shooting role http://www.euractiv.com/priorities/sweden-declines-eu-trouble-shoot-news-222234

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