Yugoslavia and EU conclude cooperation agreement

<br>BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) _ The European Union has signed a long-term cooperation agreement with Yugoslavia, rewarding the country's new leaders for their movement toward democracy and urging them

Sunday, November 26th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) _ The European Union has signed a long-term cooperation agreement with Yugoslavia, rewarding the country's new leaders for their movement toward democracy and urging them to continue in the same direction.

The agreement _ the first of its kind with a Balkan nation _ was signed Saturday by Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica and EU Commission chairman Romano Prodi. Both said it ``institutionalized cooperation and relations'' between Yugoslavia and Europe.

Describing his talks with Kostunica as fruitful, Prodi said that ``one should have confidence in Serbia, as it obviously has chosen another political road.'' Serbia is the larger of the two republics that make up Yugoslavia.

Europe has a political and moral responsibility to maintain close cooperation with Yugoslavia, Prodi said. For their part, Balkan countries have no choice but to cooperate strongly and closely with Europe and to forge political and economic links, he said.

Kostunica said the agreement created conditions for faster growth in Yugoslavia. He reminded reporters that the EU had promised nearly $2.5 billion of aid to Yugoslavia over the next five years.