In what a senior official described as a "historic moment," Serbian lawmakers on Tuesday approved a pre-membership accord with the European Union and a key oil and gas agreement with Russia.

Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic told the Associated Press that lawmakers' ratification of the EU's Stabilization and Association agreement "definitely shows that Serbia wants to be part of Europe."

"This is a long awaited development and a very positive one," he said. "This is a historic moment for Serbia."

The vote in the parliament came after years of stalled negotiations with the EU over Serbia's failure to arrest key war crimes suspects, but also because of anger here over many EU nations' support for Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia.

Nationalists in Serbia have sought to abandon efforts at EU membership, saying any ties with the bloc amount to a de-facto recognition of Kosovo's independence.

In a sign that divisions remain deep, just 140 lawmakers in the 250-member parliament voted in favor of the deal with EU, with nationalists boycotting the vote.

Djelic told the AP "we could do better" when it comes to parliamentary support, and called on EU officials to help Serbia achieve a candidate status in 2009, thus finding itself on an "irreversible path of EU integration."

"Our message to the EU is to get there as fast as possible," Djelic said.

Although Serbia signed the pre-entry deal with the EU in spring, the agreement has been put on hold until Belgrade cooperates fully with a U.N. war crimes tribunal.

In July, the Serbian government captured one of the most wanted suspects, former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, winning international praise.

Djelic said implementation of the EU deal would help boost Serbia's economic recovery as well as its pro-Western government, which still faces a strong challenge from nationalists who oppose EU membership and the arrest of war crimes suspects.

"The message I will be carrying to Brussels is that ... policies of partnership yield much better results for both EU and Serbia," he said.

Pro-Western leaders in Serbia came to power in 2000 after a decade of wars and international sanctions under the rule of late president Slobodan Milosevic. But the nationalists still enjoy strong backing and gathered huge crowds in July to protest Karadzic's arrest.

Djelic said his government remains committed to capturing two other war crimes fugitives, former Bosnian Serb army commander Gen. Ratko Mladic and former Croatian Serb leader Goran Hadzic.

Serbian lawmakers also approved an oil and gas agreement Tuesday with Russia which envisages that part of a pan-European pipeline will run through Serbia and that Russia will buy Serbia's state oil monopoly, NIS.

Djelic said this deal was crucial for Serbia's future because it provides stability in energy supplies. He said with necessary reforms, and investment in infrastructure and education, Serbia can become "the most competitive economy in the region."

The Russian deal won support from 212 deputies; 22 were against. Liberal opposition lawmakers complained that it gives Russia full control over Serbia's energy sector and the $568 million paid for the Serbian oil monopoly was too low.

Russia has been Serbia's main ally in its efforts to maintain a claim on Kosovo.