Ahtisaari: No EU without Kosovo recognition

Former international mediator for Kosovo Martti Ahtisaari says that Serbia must agree to Kosovo’s independence if it wants to join the EU.

Izvor: Tanjug

Sunday, 19.10.2008.

10:10

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Former international mediator for Kosovo Martti Ahtisaari says that Serbia must agree to Kosovo’s independence if it wants to join the EU. Ahtisaari, whose plan for Kosovo was never adopted at the UN, told The Guardian that Serbia had no option but to accept this state of affairs. Ahtisaari: No EU without Kosovo recognition The London daily notes that Ahtisaari did not devote much time to Serbia’s success in having the issue of the legality of the province’s independence referred to the International Court of Justice. The former Finnish president added that it did not matter that only 51 out of the UN’s 192 member states had so far recognized Kosovo’s independence. “It really doesn't matter if Paraguay hasn't recognized," Ahtisaari said. "Well over 65 percent of the wealth of the world has recognized. That matters." As regards Serbia’s refusal to ever recognize Kosovo’s independence, Ahtisaari said that Belgrade would have to do so if it wanted to join the EU. "You can't be poking the EU in the eye [while] saying you want to join EU," he stressed. The former UN mediator said that very soon after taking up his post he had sent a private message to all sides that Kosovo’s secession was inevitable. “"[I said] in light of what had happened in Kosovo, the return of Kosovo to Serbia is not a viable option," adding that “since March 2006 no one should have had any illusion what my plan was going to be”. Ahtisaari also dismissed any comparisons with Georgia and South Ossetia. "We did Kosovo within the UN framework. In Georgia there was not even an attempt," he argued. "You cannot go into an independent country and do whatever you like. Even if you are Russia." Ahtisari was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2008 last week. Martti Ahtisaari (FoNet, archive)

Ahtisaari: No EU without Kosovo recognition

The London daily notes that Ahtisaari did not devote much time to Serbia’s success in having the issue of the legality of the province’s independence referred to the International Court of Justice.

The former Finnish president added that it did not matter that only 51 out of the UN’s 192 member states had so far recognized Kosovo’s independence.

“It really doesn't matter if Paraguay hasn't recognized," Ahtisaari said. "Well over 65 percent of the wealth of the world has recognized. That matters."

As regards Serbia’s refusal to ever recognize Kosovo’s independence, Ahtisaari said that Belgrade would have to do so if it wanted to join the EU.

"You can't be poking the EU in the eye [while] saying you want to join EU," he stressed.

The former UN mediator said that very soon after taking up his post he had sent a private message to all sides that Kosovo’s secession was inevitable.

“"[I said] in light of what had happened in Kosovo, the return of Kosovo to Serbia is not a viable option," adding that “since March 2006 no one should have had any illusion what my plan was going to be”.

Ahtisaari also dismissed any comparisons with Georgia and South Ossetia.

"We did Kosovo within the UN framework. In Georgia there was not even an attempt," he argued. "You cannot go into an independent country and do whatever you like. Even if you are Russia."

Ahtisari was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2008 last week.

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