Decision on EU Serbia bid in February: Van Rompuy

(BRUSSELS) - A decision by the European Union on whether to grant Serbia candidate status will be taken by EU foreign ministers in February, EU president Herman Van Rompuy said Friday.

"The clear aim is to grant Serbia candidate status," Van Rompuy said, hailing "bold steps" by Belgrade in bringing in Balkan war fugitives and "first results" in efforts to improve relations with Kosovo.

Van Rompuy said the 27-nation bloc would continue to monitor Belgrade's moves to help ease regional tension, with foreign ministers to hand down a decision in February, to be confirmed by an EU summit the following month.

Belgrade had hoped to win the status of candidate EU nation at this summit and the postponement is likely to cause sharp disappointment.

But new unrest on the tense north Kosovo border late last month, in which some 50 NATO peacekeepers were hurt along with scores of civilians, led a handful of EU nations, notably Germany, to demand further progress.