EU, NATO urge quick Kosovo solution

EU, NATO urge quick Kosovo solution

Speaking after the North Atlantic Council (NAC) and the Political and Security Committee (PSC) of the European Union meeting, Solana added that the UN Secretary General now had several possible courses of action: he could decide to study the proposal, immediately submit it to the Security Council, or organize a new debate.

“Whatever option the UN Secretary General chose, the European Union is determined to offer its help to reach the final solution on the basis of Ahtisaari’s proposal,” Solana said.

Solana and De Hoop Scheffer underscored that Kosovo was a “unique case that would have no repercussions elsewhere in the world, since all cases apparently similar to Kosovo are in effect historically and culturally different in their nature and each called for a unique approach and solution.”

Earlier today, Tanjug quoted its EU sources as saying that the EU states would try to consolidate positions concerning Kosovo and form a unified stance on the issue in a series of meetings this week.

The meeting held today was expected to focus on preparations for the Contact Group meeting due to take place in London this week, "in an attempt to exert pressure on Russia over Kosovo," the agency reported.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said that the EU unity over Kosovo would also top the agenda of an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers scheduled for March 30 and 31 in Bremen.

He added that the ministers would try to explore possibilites of reaching a multilateral solution in the UN Security Council and avoid cracks within the EU.

Olli Rehn last week said that the EU unity was strong and voiced conviction "it would endure and gain more substance."