Eyeing EU Membership, Balkan Leaders Gather

Eight western Balkan presidents held Thursday their first-ever summit, aimed at promoting cooperation and getting more countries into the European Union, two decades after the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia.

The informal gathering in Slovenia, attended also by French President Francois Hollande, brought together the Albanian president and seven counterparts from the former Yugoslavia -- including Serbia and Kosovo, whose ties remain frayed.

Hollande said he supported the countries joining the bloc -- as Slovenia and most recently Croatia have done -- but that more work had to be done on reconciliation and on political, economic and institutional reforms.

"Not everything has been resolved in this region and there remain issues requiring vigilance and attention," Hollande told a news conference with Slovenian President Borut Pahor.

"But I came here to say to the eight heads of state that as the countries in the Balkans seek integration into the European Union, France is on their side," he said.

Despite the EU's woes, Croatia on July 1 became the 28th member of the bloc, the first country to join since 2007. Slovenia joined in 2004 and three years later adopted the euro currency.

In June, the EU greenlighted the start of accession talks with Serbia after it struck a landmark agreement on April 19 to normalize ties with breakaway former province Kosovo.

At the same time EU leaders adopted a mandate to start talks on an agreement with Kosovo, whose independence is not universally recognized, even among EU members. The talks could pave the way for membership negotiations.

Montenegro began negotiations in 2012. Macedonia also obtained the status of candidate in 2005 but due to a name dispute with Greece, which Hollande offered on Thursday to help resolve, it has yet to begin talks with Brussels.

Albania applied in 2009 and was twice rejected and Bosnia-Herzegovina has yet to apply for membership status.

President Pahor said the leaders had agreed to meet again in Croatia.

"The goal of this process is to change the image of this region so that, instead of being seen as a region spreading fears it will be seen as one that offers opportunities," Pahor said.