It is very important for all the countries in the region to become EU members and the EU is willing to work hard together with them in order to achieve this end, foreign ministers of EU countries and the countries in the region said at the EU-Western Balkan forum late on Monday and added that the positive atmosphere has also been created in the region for European integration process to accelerate.

Following the Tuesday meeting, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton stated that it is very important for all the countries in the region to become EU members and that the Union is willing to invest great efforts and cooperated with these countries so that the goal could be achieved.

She added that the meeting testifies of the EU's wish to be there for Western Balkan countries on their EU path.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele stated that a positive atmosphere has been created in the region for the European integration process to be accelerated, and commended on the progress achieved compared to the year of 2010.

Everyone congratulated to Croatia over the fact that it has arrived to the final stage of its pre-accession process and everyone spoke about the elan that arose after the extradition of Ratko Mladic to the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Fuele said.

Recalling the elections in FYRMacedonia, Fuele said that all these events are giving rise to the elan for the reconciliation process to start in the second half of 2011, when the European Commission is expected to present its reports on progress and its opinion regarding Serbia's EU candidacy application.

The commissioner said that the Tuesday meeting was a very good moment and a chance to revise the remaining challenges and solve them so that the report on progress could be positive.

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic stated that participants at the forum voiced encouraging messages to the Western Balkans, but he also added that in the time to come, the region would face more rigorous requests for fulfillment of all standards on the EU path.

The minister said that the region and the EU have the same positions and share the same goal, that is for the Western Balkan to integrate fully into the EU.

Ahead of the beginning of the forum, Jeremic conferred with British Minister for European Affairs David Lidington, who said that there is no dilemma that London would continue to support the enlargement process and would not change its stand.

The two ministers also discussed the Kosovo issue, the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and the investigation into the human organ trafficking charges which Council of Europe Rapporteur Dick Marty made against Pristina's high officials.

Jeremic expressed deep belief that the only way for a comprehensive and unbiased investigation to be carried out, regardless of which body might be put in charge of the matter, is for the UN Security Council to give the full credibility and comprehensive mandate to the investigative proceedings.

Representatives of Pristina also participated at the Luxembourg forum, on the margins of the meeting between EU foreign ministers, and were seated next to UNMIK representatives.