It is a natural step, as Iceland is a country which shares common history and culture with continental Europe, and has been closely connected to the European Union through its membership in the European Economic Area since its creation in 1994 and in the Schengen Area since 2001. We believe that the negotiations with Iceland will proceed without delay and with a fair and rigorous conditionality. In this respect we emphasize the EU enlargement process should go ahead with making no geographical distinctions and we believe the opening of accession negotiations with Iceland will provide new impetus for the EU integration of the Western Balkans.