Rupel: Kosovo must be handled properly

Kosovo issue may pose a threat to regional stability if not handled properly, Dimitrij Rupel says. Speaking at the opening of a two-day regional conference on the stability of the western Balkans on Friday in Slovenia, the Slovenian foreign minister reiterated that three principles put down by the Contact Group had to be respected during the status settlement process: Rupel: Kosovo must be handled properly “Kosovo cannot be divided, there is no return to the situation prior to 1999, and the province cannot be adjoined to any other neighboring territory,” he explained. The Slovenian foreign policy chief stressed that the offering of the European perspective to western Balkans states represents a key for the solution to the security issue in the region. “The other factor is the liberalization of the visa regime the EU has recently introduced for these states.” Rupel said he hoped Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia would follow in Slovenia’s footsteps and join the EU in the process in which "Kosovo’s status issue and Bosnia require our special attention." Council of Europe (CoE) Deputy Secretary General Maud de Boer Buquicchio noted on the same occasion that all western Balkans states have made noticeable progress over the past years, but pointed out that the region is still facing a major security risk. According to her, organized crime, people trafficking and corruption are the biggest threats to peace and stability. Former UN envoy to Bosnia Wolfgang Petritsch told the conference that “even though the general situation is improving, all states have to carry out comprehensive reforms to strengthen the stability which has been hindered by an unfinished process of the formation of states in the region, week interstate cooperation and inefficient judiciary.”

Rupel: Kosovo must be handled properly

“Kosovo cannot be divided, there is no return to the situation prior to 1999, and the province cannot be adjoined to any other neighboring territory,” he explained.

The Slovenian foreign policy chief stressed that the offering of the European perspective to western Balkans states represents a key for the solution to the security issue in the region.

“The other factor is the liberalization of the visa regime the EU has recently introduced for these states.”

Rupel said he hoped Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia would follow in Slovenia’s footsteps and join the EU in the process in which "Kosovo’s status issue and Bosnia require our special attention."

Council of Europe (CoE) Deputy Secretary General Maud de Boer Buquicchio noted on the same occasion that all western Balkans states have made noticeable progress over the past years, but pointed out that the region is still facing a major security risk.

According to her, organized crime, people trafficking and corruption are the biggest threats to peace and stability.

Former UN envoy to Bosnia Wolfgang Petritsch told the conference that “even though the general situation is improving, all states have to carry out comprehensive reforms to strengthen the stability which has been hindered by an unfinished process of the formation of states in the region, week interstate cooperation and inefficient judiciary.”