Kouchner: Kosovo to wait for Serbian vote

French FM Bernard Kouchner says his country prefers a Kosovo decision after the Serbian presidential elections. Kouchner said Monday that Paris wants wait for the elections likely to take place in late January or early February, "in order to give pacifists from both the Serbian and Albanian side a chance." Kouchner: Kosovo to wait for Serbian vote "Let the elections in Serbia be held first in order to, late in January or in the first week of February, give one more chance to pacifists on both sides," Kouchner said in an interview with France Inter Radio. “France's standpoint has been accepted,” the foreign minister added. "We should not rush with reaching a decision on the future Kosovo status following the negotiation process, which formally ends on Monday." “Prime Minister Hashim Thaci accepted this and I hope that the Serbs will do the same,” Kouchner said, implying that the Kosovo Albanian representatives had agreed to wait with a declaration of independence until after the elections in Serbia and until the European Union takes a common stand on the issue. When asked why France backs the independence of Kosovo when it will create a micro state run by parties which resemble mafia, and that it will set an extremely dangerous precedent in Bosnia as well as in Georgia and in other regions, Kouchner replied that “it is not mafia.” Meanwhile his British counterpart, Foreign Secretary David Miliband says Kosovo will not serve as an inspiration to separatists around the world. “Many countries are afraid that Kosovo can be a model for separatist movements which seek independence. I wish to stress – this is a completely unique case. Kosovo is a province administered by the UN and is located within a country which states that it wants to be a part of Europe,” Miliband said. He told a Polish daily that he guarantees that Kosovo will not set a precedent, adding that the current situation would not be desired by any European country. He said that the European Union will have to take responsibility in solving the Kosovo question so that the tragic mistakes of the early 1990s are not repeated. “Passiveness and waiting are a bad recipe,” Miliband said, adding that the EU will have to balance out Kosovo, starting with the notion that all of the countries of the Western Balkans will become EU members one day. Asked whether more NATO troops need to be sent to Kosovo, Miliband said “the short answer is yes.” “This is something that we should maybe discuss. and plans for every eventuality have already been prepared,” Miliband said. “We should not underestimate the instability of the situation,” he added. Bernard Kouchner arrives at the EU ministerial meeting in Brussels (Tanjug)

Kouchner: Kosovo to wait for Serbian vote

"Let the elections in Serbia be held first in order to, late in January or in the first week of February, give one more chance to pacifists on both sides," Kouchner said in an interview with France Inter Radio.

“France's standpoint has been accepted,” the foreign minister added.

"We should not rush with reaching a decision on the future Kosovo status following the negotiation process, which formally ends on Monday."

“Prime Minister Hashim Thaci accepted this and I hope that the Serbs will do the same,” Kouchner said, implying that the Kosovo Albanian representatives had agreed to wait with a declaration of independence until after the elections in Serbia and until the European Union takes a common stand on the issue.

When asked why France backs the independence of Kosovo when it will create a micro state run by parties which resemble mafia, and that it will set an extremely dangerous precedent in Bosnia as well as in Georgia and in other regions, Kouchner replied that “it is not mafia.”

Meanwhile his British counterpart, Foreign Secretary David Miliband says Kosovo will not serve as an inspiration to separatists around the world.

“Many countries are afraid that Kosovo can be a model for separatist movements which seek independence. I wish to stress – this is a completely unique case. Kosovo is a province administered by the UN and is located within a country which states that it wants to be a part of Europe,” Miliband said.

He told a Polish daily that he guarantees that Kosovo will not set a precedent, adding that the current situation would not be desired by any European country.

He said that the European Union will have to take responsibility in solving the Kosovo question so that the tragic mistakes of the early 1990s are not repeated.

“Passiveness and waiting are a bad recipe,” Miliband said, adding that the EU will have to balance out Kosovo, starting with the notion that all of the countries of the Western Balkans will become EU members one day.

Asked whether more NATO troops need to be sent to Kosovo, Miliband said “the short answer is yes.”

“This is something that we should maybe discuss. and plans for every eventuality have already been prepared,” Miliband said.

“We should not underestimate the instability of the situation,” he added.