European Union President Slovenia has said it has backed signing an accord with Serbia.
This is a first step towards EU membership.
'I am one of those who believe the SAA should be signed as soon as possible, but some of our colleagues have to be persuaded this is a good idea,' Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said.
The signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Serbia has been held up by its failure to transfer Bosnian Serb wartime commander Ratko Mladic to a UN war crimes tribunal in the Hague on genocide charges.
It requires unanimous agreement of the 27 EU member states.
