"Kosovo independence date already set"

Fatmir Limaj and Veton Surroi say they know when Kosovo independence will be declared. Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) deputy leader Limaj said that the date had been set, but that it was being kept secret because this had been agreed on with "our Western friends." "Kosovo independence date already set" "We know the date, but we wish to be cautious, discreet and to keep it secret, like we have agreed with our friends," Limaj said at a forum in Macedonia on Wednesday. ORA reformist party leader Surroi said that independence would be declared in the next few weeks. The Pristina daily Koha Ditore said that Germany and France had called upon the Kosovo leadership to wait until February 3, when the Serbian presidential elections will end, to make the declaration. Meanwhile, Slovenia, which is due to assume the EU presidency on January 1, has announced that it will endeavour to agree on how to proceed “without haste” towards a status solution based on the Ahtisaari Plan. Macedonia, Albania back Ahtisaari plan Macedonia and Albania agree that the Martti Ahtisaari plan should be adopted to resolve the issue of Kosovo’s status. Moreover, they oppose a division of the southern Serbian province, it is specified in a joint statement issued by the parliamentary speakers of the two countries, Ljubisa Georgijevski and Jozefina Topali, respectively. ”We hope that the resolution to the Kosovo crisis will lead to stability in the region,“ Gergijevski said. “We agree that this bilateral problem has turned into an international issue, since all attempts to reach a bilateral agreement have been exhausted,“ the Macedonian speaker added. “Kosovo's status is an issue which interests not only Macedonia, Albania and other countries in the region, but also the European Union and others further afield,“ Topali said. “We share the same opinion (as Macedonia) that the Ahtisaari plan should be supported,“ she added. “We believe that the settlement of this issue is not only good for the people of Kosovo, but also for the region as a whole,“ concluded Topali.

"Kosovo independence date already set"

"We know the date, but we wish to be cautious, discreet and to keep it secret, like we have agreed with our friends," Limaj said at a forum in Macedonia on Wednesday.

ORA reformist party leader Surroi said that independence would be declared in the next few weeks.

The Priština daily Koha Ditore said that Germany and France had called upon the Kosovo leadership to wait until February 3, when the Serbian presidential elections will end, to make the declaration.

Meanwhile, Slovenia, which is due to assume the EU presidency on January 1, has announced that it will endeavour to agree on how to proceed “without haste” towards a status solution based on the Ahtisaari Plan.

Macedonia, Albania back Ahtisaari plan

Macedonia and Albania agree that the Martti Ahtisaari plan should be adopted to resolve the issue of Kosovo’s status. Moreover, they oppose a division of the southern Serbian province, it is specified in a joint statement issued by the parliamentary speakers of the two countries, Ljubiša Georgijevski and Jozefina Topali, respectively.

”We hope that the resolution to the Kosovo crisis will lead to stability in the region,“ Gergijevski said.

“We agree that this bilateral problem has turned into an international issue, since all attempts to reach a bilateral agreement have been exhausted,“ the Macedonian speaker added.

“Kosovo's status is an issue which interests not only Macedonia, Albania and other countries in the region, but also the European Union and others further afield,“ Topali said.

“We share the same opinion (as Macedonia) that the Ahtisaari plan should be supported,“ she added.

“We believe that the settlement of this issue is not only good for the people of Kosovo, but also for the region as a whole,“ concluded Topali.