Post by Fender on Dec 10, 2007 18:27:12 GMT -5
EU fails to adopt common position on Kosovo
Politics 12/10/2007 11:29:00 PM
BRUSSELS, Dec 10 (KUNA) -- European Union Foreign Ministers held an extensive discussion Monday on the final status of Kosovo but failed to a adopt a common position and instead advised patience.
"It is clear that status quo is unsustainable" EU enlargement Commissioner Oli Rehn told reporters this evening.
He said the work should be completed in a coordinated way and managed by the EU.
A United Nations deadline for agreement on the future status of Kosovo expires on Monday.
Portugals foreign minister Luis Amado said Kosovo was a sensitive issue and "we need all the time to be patient".
"Today we gave another step in the process forward. We have new steps to take in the coming weeks," he told reporters.
Portugal holds the current EU Presidency.
The 27 EU ministers earlier met behind closed doors with the EU's envoy to the Kosovo talks, Wolfgang Ischinger.
On his part, Solana said the EU will work to provide stability in our neighbourhood in the Balkans.
"We will come to an agreement among us in the coming weeks," he said.
EU member states like Cyprus and Slovakia are reportedly against the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo.
Russia, a close ally of Serbia, is also opposed to independence for Kosovo fearing that it might become a precedent for other independent movements in the world.
A troika, made up of the EU, Russia and the United States, failed in several round of talks with leaders of Kosovo and Serbia to reach a compromise.
Kosovo has been administered by the UN since 1999 when NATO air strikes drove out Serb forces who were carrying out a brutal crackdown against the majority ethnic Albanian Muslims in Kosovo.
On their part, Albanian Kosovars are adamant to declare independence.
"From today, Kosovo begins consultations with key international partners to coordinate the next steps to a declaration of independence," Skender Hyseni, spokesman of Kosovo's negotiating team with Serbia, said in Pristina. (end) nk.bs KUNA 102329 Dec 07NNNN
Politics 12/10/2007 11:29:00 PM
BRUSSELS, Dec 10 (KUNA) -- European Union Foreign Ministers held an extensive discussion Monday on the final status of Kosovo but failed to a adopt a common position and instead advised patience.
"It is clear that status quo is unsustainable" EU enlargement Commissioner Oli Rehn told reporters this evening.
He said the work should be completed in a coordinated way and managed by the EU.
A United Nations deadline for agreement on the future status of Kosovo expires on Monday.
Portugals foreign minister Luis Amado said Kosovo was a sensitive issue and "we need all the time to be patient".
"Today we gave another step in the process forward. We have new steps to take in the coming weeks," he told reporters.
Portugal holds the current EU Presidency.
The 27 EU ministers earlier met behind closed doors with the EU's envoy to the Kosovo talks, Wolfgang Ischinger.
On his part, Solana said the EU will work to provide stability in our neighbourhood in the Balkans.
"We will come to an agreement among us in the coming weeks," he said.
EU member states like Cyprus and Slovakia are reportedly against the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo.
Russia, a close ally of Serbia, is also opposed to independence for Kosovo fearing that it might become a precedent for other independent movements in the world.
A troika, made up of the EU, Russia and the United States, failed in several round of talks with leaders of Kosovo and Serbia to reach a compromise.
Kosovo has been administered by the UN since 1999 when NATO air strikes drove out Serb forces who were carrying out a brutal crackdown against the majority ethnic Albanian Muslims in Kosovo.
On their part, Albanian Kosovars are adamant to declare independence.
"From today, Kosovo begins consultations with key international partners to coordinate the next steps to a declaration of independence," Skender Hyseni, spokesman of Kosovo's negotiating team with Serbia, said in Pristina. (end) nk.bs KUNA 102329 Dec 07NNNN