EU sources: Postponement under consideration

EU sources say a postponement of a decision on Kosovo independence is being considered. Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and President Fatmir Sejdiu say that independence is just round the corner. EU sources: Postponement under consideration One option for Kosovo could be for the Pristina parliament to first of all adopt a “declaration of intent” to declare independence, while putting off the actual declaration. European diplomatic sources, stating that Thaci had travelled to Brussels to decide on the possibilities and the date of an independence declaration with the EU and NATO, say that the EU is split, and that a “declaration of intent” was just one of the options on the table. With Brussels and Washington’s consent, this option could quell the “impatience and pressure” of the Kosovo Albanians, while allowing aspertions to be dispelled in Serbia concerning the country's European path, say the sources. It is thought that this option could also allay fears that Washington, in spite of lack of consensus within the EU, could start taking “difficult, but necessary decisions,” as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice put it, ahead of a meeting with European colleagues in Berlin. Rice, say diplomats in Brussels, also said that she did not think “there is a divergence of opinion with Europe over Kosovo,” though “we are now endeavouring to see if there is something that can be down to ease the transitional phase.” By postponing the act of a unilateral declaration of independence by the Kosovo Albanians, it would allow those EU member-states who oppose recognition to avoid having to take a public stand on the matter in the immediate future, should it take place without a UN resolution. Even though EU officials directly engaged in the Kosovo process believe that the Kosovo Albanians are not the slightest bit interested in the outcome of the second round of the Serbian presidential elections, they add that it is important for the EU that a declaration of independence does not overlap or interfere with the election’s final outcome. They say that they are unable to comment on rumors that the act of a declaration should wait until after the general elections in Spain in March, where separatist elements have openly said that they are waiting for Kosovo before declaring independence themselves. The EU wants, they say, before any final decision on Kosovo’s status is taken, or before the U.S. and certain EU member-states go through with recognizing independence, the much heralded judicial-police mission to be sent to the province. That mission is still not fully technically ready, and has problems with finding a legal basis, so that an “agreed upon” mission could be sent to the province once status has been defined, even if that means a unilateral move by Pristina. Asked to comment on President Boris Tadic’s statement that Brussels and Washington had "agreed" that “the Kosovo institutions will announce the independence date in the coming days,” officials from the EU Council of Ministers say that it is unlikely that Pristina will declare independence “in the next few days.” Thaci: Independence date to be announced soon Hashim Thaci says that Kosovo is ready to become an independent and sovereign state. The Kosovo prime minister said that the date of Kosovo’s independence declaration would be announced soon. He is head to Brussels, where he will discuss Kosovo’s status with EU Security and Foreign Policies Chief Javier Solana, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel and others. “We will discuss Kosovo’s future and the arrival of the EU’s international peacekeeping mission,” Thaci said, adding that he was standing for “the belief of the institutions and people of Kosovo – that Kosovo is ready and united in becoming an independent and sovereign country.” Thaci said that the independence declaration would be carried out “in coordination with our international friends - Washington, Brussels and countries which border Kosovo.” “The date for independence will be announced by the Kosovo institutions in the coming days. It will be a nice surprise,” Thaci said.

EU sources: Postponement under consideration

One option for Kosovo could be for the Priština parliament to first of all adopt a “declaration of intent” to declare independence, while putting off the actual declaration.

European diplomatic sources, stating that Thaci had travelled to Brussels to decide on the possibilities and the date of an independence declaration with the EU and NATO, say that the EU is split, and that a “declaration of intent” was just one of the options on the table.

With Brussels and Washington’s consent, this option could quell the “impatience and pressure” of the Kosovo Albanians, while allowing aspertions to be dispelled in Serbia concerning the country's European path, say the sources.

It is thought that this option could also allay fears that Washington, in spite of lack of consensus within the EU, could start taking “difficult, but necessary decisions,” as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice put it, ahead of a meeting with European colleagues in Berlin.

Rice, say diplomats in Brussels, also said that she did not think “there is a divergence of opinion with Europe over Kosovo,” though “we are now endeavouring to see if there is something that can be down to ease the transitional phase.”

By postponing the act of a unilateral declaration of independence by the Kosovo Albanians, it would allow those EU member-states who oppose recognition to avoid having to take a public stand on the matter in the immediate future, should it take place without a UN resolution.

Even though EU officials directly engaged in the Kosovo process believe that the Kosovo Albanians are not the slightest bit interested in the outcome of the second round of the Serbian presidential elections, they add that it is important for the EU that a declaration of independence does not overlap or interfere with the election’s final outcome.

They say that they are unable to comment on rumors that the act of a declaration should wait until after the general elections in Spain in March, where separatist elements have openly said that they are waiting for Kosovo before declaring independence themselves.

The EU wants, they say, before any final decision on Kosovo’s status is taken, or before the U.S. and certain EU member-states go through with recognizing independence, the much heralded judicial-police mission to be sent to the province.

That mission is still not fully technically ready, and has problems with finding a legal basis, so that an “agreed upon” mission could be sent to the province once status has been defined, even if that means a unilateral move by Priština.

Asked to comment on President Boris Tadić’s statement that Brussels and Washington had "agreed" that “the Kosovo institutions will announce the independence date in the coming days,” officials from the EU Council of Ministers say that it is unlikely that Priština will declare independence “in the next few days.”

Thaci: Independence date to be announced soon

Hashim Thaci says that Kosovo is ready to become an independent and sovereign state.

The Kosovo prime minister said that the date of Kosovo’s independence declaration would be announced soon.

He is head to Brussels, where he will discuss Kosovo’s status with EU Security and Foreign Policies Chief Javier Solana, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel and others.

“We will discuss Kosovo’s future and the arrival of the EU’s international peacekeeping mission,” Thaci said, adding that he was standing for “the belief of the institutions and people of Kosovo – that Kosovo is ready and united in becoming an independent and sovereign country.”

Thaci said that the independence declaration would be carried out “in coordination with our international friends - Washington, Brussels and countries which border Kosovo.”

“The date for independence will be announced by the Kosovo institutions in the coming days. It will be a nice surprise,” Thaci said.