European Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele expressed the expectation in Vienna Thursday that the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue would yield concrete results in July and stressed he saw Serbia as an EU member only after the Kosovo issue was resolved.

Addressing a panel discussion on European perspectives of the Balkan region held at the representative office of the European Commission (EC) in Vienna, Fuele recalled that a total of four rounds of the dialogue had been held so far, significant so far as nobody had thought it possible.

I hope we will see concrete, pragmatic results in June that will improve the lives of people, particularly in the north of Kosovo, Fuele said.

Asked whether recognizing Kosovo would be a condition for Serbia's EU accession, Fuele explained that the enlargement process had three stages, and since Kosovo independence was not recognized by all EU members, the exact requirements by the EU could hardly be discussed.

In the current stage, the EU member countries have said it was politically clear they wanted to see concrete results from the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue before they accepted EC's recommendation, Fuele added.

It is clear, however, that as the enlargement process progresses, the dialogue should progress as well. It is clear that the EU expects solutions to be found. A number of politicians have already said they will not accept any new member that would not be at peace with its neighbors. I cannot say what the membership requirements will be in a few years, but I do not see Serbia in the European Union until the Kosovo issue is resolved, Fuele said.

Fuele said that the Western Balkan countries had made progress and were all aspiring to become EU members, adding that the Union was committed to realizing the goal.