European Union leaders have agreed to deploy administrators and police to Kosovo before it declares independence from Serbia. In an effort to ease tensions in the Balkans, they have also offered Serbia a fast-track path to EU membership if it meets certain conditions. However, Serbia has rejected the idea that this offer is meant to compensate for the loss of Kosovo. The EU leaders stated that negotiations on Kosovo's future have reached a standstill and it is time to work towards a resolution. They did not fully support independence, but they made a political decision to send an ESDP mission to Kosovo. This decision was seen as a strong signal that the EU is committed to taking a leadership role in Kosovo and the surrounding region. The ESDP mission will consist of 1,800 individuals, including police, justice officials, and civilian administrators. When questioned about the European Union's stance on recognizing Kosovo's independence, Socrates mentioned ongoing discussions at the United Nations. He emphasized that the EU is actively addressing the issue and not ignoring it. French President Nicolas Sarkozy also acknowledged the EU's struggles with Kosovo's impending independence. Diplomats noted that Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia, and Romania are hesitant to recognize Kosovo's sovereignty without a UN Security Council resolution. "ON A PLANE"? EU leaders, after resolving a longstanding institutional deadlock, shifted their attention to addressing challenges from the Balkans, as well as globalisation and immigration. The EU expressed confidence in Serbia's progress towards joining the bloc, with hopes of accelerating the process. Pro-EU individuals in Belgrade aim for candidate status by the following year, a timeline deemed ambitious but achievable by EU Enlargement Commission Olli Rehn. Typically, it takes around two years for Brussels to grant candidate status to an aspiring country after signing a Stabilisation and Accession Agreement (SAA). The delay in signing an SAA with Belgrade is due to their failure to hand over Bosnian Serb wartime general Ratko Mladic to a UN war crimes tribunal in the Hague. Outgoing chief war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte is urging EU leaders to maintain pressure on Belgrade and not be lenient, expressing surprise at France, Germany, and Italy's attempts to soften their stance. The agreement requires unanimous approval within the EU, and Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen has stated that Mladic must be sent to the Hague before he will sign the SAA. EU leaders have appointed former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez to head a new "reflection group" to discuss the long-term future of the EU, covering issues like enlargement, climate change, and regional stability. Vaira Vike-Freiberga and Jorma Ollila were named as vice-chairs of the panel, which is expected to report in June 2010. The leaders also addressed public concerns about European job markets, immigration, and cheap imports following the signing of the Lisbon Treaty, which replaced the failed constitution in 2005. The treaty aims to streamline the EU's structures to accommodate enlargement after the addition of 12 ex-communist states in 2004 and 2007. Critics argue that it will limit the authority of national governments and give more control to Brussels.