European Union leaders have agreed to send administrators and police to Kosovo before it declares independence from Serbia. They have also offered Serbia a fast-track route to joining the EU once certain conditions are met. However, Serbia has rejected the idea that this is compensation for losing Kosovo, with the Foreign Minister calling it an "indecent proposal." EU leaders have stated that negotiations on Kosovo's future are over and a resolution needs to be found. They did not fully support independence but made a political decision to send an ESDP mission to Kosovo, signaling Europe's intention to take a leading role in Kosovo and the region's future. The ESDP mission includes police, justice officials, and civilian administrators, totaling 1,800 personnel. When questioned about the European Union's recognition of Kosovo's independence, Socrates stated that discussions on the matter were ongoing at the United Nations. He emphasized that the EU was actively addressing the issue and not ignoring it. French President Nicolas Sarkozy acknowledged the EU's struggle with Kosovo, noting that it seemed inevitable for Kosovo to become independent. Diplomats revealed that Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia, and Romania were opposed to recognizing Kosovo's sovereignty without a resolution from the UN Security Council. "ON A PLANE"? Following the signing of a treaty to end a long institutional stalemate, EU leaders shifted their focus to addressing challenges in the Balkans, globalisation, and immigration. The final summit communique expressed confidence in accelerating progress for Serbia to join the EU, with hopes for candidate status by the end of next year. EU Enlargement Commission Olli Rehn noted that this timeline, although ambitious, is feasible considering the usual two-year process for granting candidate status after signing a Stabilisation and Accession Agreement. The delay in signing an SAA with Belgrade is due to the failure to transfer Bosnian Serb wartime general Ratko Mladic to a UN war crimes tribunal in the Hague on genocide charges. Outgoing chief war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte has urged EU leaders not to go easy on Belgrade and to continue putting pressure on them to hand over those accused. Del Ponte expressed surprise at France, Germany, and Italy wanting to soften their stance, and is depending on Belgium and the Netherlands to remain firm. Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen has stated that Mladic must be sent to the Hague before he will agree to sign the SAA. EU leaders have appointed former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez to lead a new group focused on discussing the long-term future of the EU, covering topics such as enlargement, climate change, and regional stability. Vaira Vike-Freiberga and Jorma Ollila were named as vice-chairs of the panel, with a report expected in June 2010. The leaders also addressed concerns about European job markets being impacted by immigration and cheap imports, following the signing of the new Lisbon Treaty. The treaty, which replaced the failed constitution in 2005, aims to streamline the EU's structures to accommodate recent enlargements. Critics argue that it will limit the authority of individual nations and transfer more control to Brussels.