EU membership in exchage for Kosovo

The EU could persuade Serbia to accept an independent Kosovo by offering the prospect of joining the Union, Carl Bildt said.

Izvor: B92

Thursday, 29.03.2007.

10:56

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EU membership in exchage for Kosovo

"[We have] very limited leverage as a matter of fact" to persuade the Serbian government to accept the Ahtisaari proposal, Bildt admitted. "But the Serbians would be attracted by the prospect of becoming a member of the European Union."

Although the EU has not been so explicit so far about linking possible EU membership for Serbia to the independence of Kosovo, "[the two issues] should be more related," Bildt said, indicating that the EU would take a more positive attitude to accepting Serbia as a prospective member state if the country warmed toward an independent Kosovo.

Bildt was also optimistic about finding a formula on Kosovo for the Security Council, which is to adopt a resolution on the issue.

"I hope there will be a Security Council resolution by summer," he said, adding that a "heavy international role" to support an independent Kosovo is absolutely necessary.

"We half-jokingly say [the new state] would be the 'European Protectorate of Kosovo,'" he said referring to the heavy EU involvement in the nation-building process in Kosovo.

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