Romania to stay out of institution-building

Romania will not take part in institution-building that implies Kosovo’s unilateral independence, says Romanian President Traian Basescu. Our position remains very clear—we will not recognize Kosovo,” said Basescu at a conference dedicated to NATO’s future after the Alliance summit held in April in Bucharest. Romania to stay out of institution-building The Romanian president stressed that his country supported NATO’s efforts in Kosovo, “but only if they are based on Security Council Resolution 1244, and do not in any way imply recognition." He added that “that applied to new tasks linked to the Kosovo security forces” to be trained by KFOR. Romania has a contingent of some 150 troops among the overall KFOR presence of some 16,600. Serbia and Russia, as well NATO members that have not recognized Kosovo independence, including Spain and Romania, believe that training the Kosovo security services means implicitly recognizing the illegal act of the Kosovo temporary institutions. Among the 26 NATO members, Portugal, Greece and Slovakia are the other countries to have withheld recognition. “We will not participate in institution-building in an independent Kosovo in either the EU or NATO,” Basescu underlined, adding that Bucharest’s position was based on full compliance with international law. Malta and Cyprus are the other two EU member-states not have recognized the Pristina temporary institutions’ unilateral independence declaration. Traian Basescu (Beta, archive)

Romania to stay out of institution-building

The Romanian president stressed that his country supported NATO’s efforts in Kosovo, “but only if they are based on Security Council Resolution 1244, and do not in any way imply recognition."

He added that “that applied to new tasks linked to the Kosovo security forces” to be trained by KFOR.

Romania has a contingent of some 150 troops among the overall KFOR presence of some 16,600.

Serbia and Russia, as well NATO members that have not recognized Kosovo independence, including Spain and Romania, believe that training the Kosovo security services means implicitly recognizing the illegal act of the Kosovo temporary institutions.

Among the 26 NATO members, Portugal, Greece and Slovakia are the other countries to have withheld recognition.

“We will not participate in institution-building in an independent Kosovo in either the EU or NATO,” Basescu underlined, adding that Bucharest’s position was based on full compliance with international law.

Malta and Cyprus are the other two EU member-states not have recognized the Priština temporary institutions’ unilateral independence declaration.