Full cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague is Serbia's responsibility and is directly connected with defending territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country, Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic said Saturday.
"Serbia will fully obey the international law both when it comes to The Hague and to the unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence," Cvetkovic said in an interview with Beta news agency.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February and was recognized by majority of EU countries and the United States. Serbia and its ally Russia oppose it, dpa reported.
Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic was arrested on Monday night in Belgrade and is waiting extradition to The Hague. His warlord Ratko Mladic and Croatian Serb Goran Hadzic are still on the run.
Cvetkovic said he expected an easing of EU conditions on Serbia after clear confirmation that Belgrade was fulfilling its international obligations to The Hague.
Serbia still has to ratify a pre-membership agreement with the EU. The Stabilization and Association Agreement will be ratified by the Brussels as soon as Serbia delivers the remaining two war crimes suspects to the Hague.
Cvetkovic said he hopes Serbia will get the candidate status for the EU by the end of 2008 or the beginning of 2009.