Ceku says Kosovo will "coordinate independence"

Kosovo's declaration of independence after Dec. 10 will not surprise anyone, Agim Ceku said in Pristina today. After a meeting with UNMIK and KFOR chiefs, Joachim Ruecker and General Xavier Bout de Marnhac, the provincial prime minister said that ethnic Albanians will coordinate a unilateral declaration of independence "with the United States and other countries." Ceku says Kosovo will "coordinate independence" "If we are forced to do this, we will do all to ensure it does not represent a surprise for anyone, above all for KFOR and UNMIK," Ceku told reporters after the meeting. De Marnhac said international peacekeepers under his command have "plans for all eventualities," but refused to comment on what may happen after December 10, the deadline for the Contact Group mediating Troika to report to the UN secretary-general about ongoing Kosovo status talks. Ruecker added that the "most important result" of last week's talks between Belgrade, Pristina and the Troika teams in New York was the Contact Group's "reiterated position that Kosovo's status will be determined in line with the will of the majority in the province." Today's regular monthly meeting dedicated to security in Kosovo concluded that the territory was "peaceful and stable." Meanwhile, Reuters cited "Western experts on the Balkans" as saying that the European Union "must agree a legal basis for dealing with Kosovo, which appears headed for a de facto independence without a United Nations agreement on its future." "EU capitals who favor an independent Kosovo should find an alternative legal basis for an EU mission there. At the same time they have to persuade doubters in the bloc not to veto the presence of such a mission," Reuters reported. A split over Kosovo would undermine EU plans to take over police duties in the province but wreck its credibility in the very region, the report continued. "We know that the last half a dozen are not going to be persuaded," Gareth Evans, head of the International Crisis Group think-tank, said of what Reuters described as "a clutch of mostly small European states which are most reluctant to accept Kosovo's independence." "But the others can and should be looking to be ready to take a decision early next year," he told a Brussels conference, adding that he doubted last-ditch diplomatic efforts to resolve the stand-off would produce results by a December 10 deadline. Evans said that, in the absence of a new UN mandate, "legitimacy for the EU presence involving some 1,850 police and judicial personnel could be provided by invitations from the Kosovo leadership and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon." "It would be a 'double hook'," he said, noting that any effort by the West to remold the existing UN Security Council Resolution 1244 for a post-independence Kosovo would likely face resistance from Moscow, "and others." According to the agency, alongside the United States, Britain and France lead a majority of EU states ready to recognize Kosovo's sovereignty. Spain, Hungary, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus and Romania are reluctant either because of their proximity to the Balkans or fears it could encourage separatists at home. Former European Parliament President Pat Cox urged reluctant EU countries to allow the EU mission to proceed without them. "Doubters should be invited to engage in constructive abstentions. It is a capacity that is available when there are opinions short of consensus," he said of an arrangement under which states would not use their right to veto EU policy. Question marks remain over the reaction of Germany to a unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo. Diplomats say Berlin has concerns over the legal basis of its large contingent within NATO-led 17,000-strong peace force in Kosovo and argues that a simple invitation by Pristina would not provide solid enough grounds for a long-term presence. They say that while Chancellor Angela Merkel would rally to an independence declaration by Kosovo, her junior coalition partners the Social Democrats are less keen. Ruecker, De Marnhac, Ceku (Tanjug/EPA)

Ceku says Kosovo will "coordinate independence"

"If we are forced to do this, we will do all to ensure it does not represent a surprise for anyone, above all for KFOR and UNMIK," Ceku told reporters after the meeting.

De Marnhac said international peacekeepers under his command have "plans for all eventualities," but refused to comment on what may happen after December 10, the deadline for the Contact Group mediating Troika to report to the UN secretary-general about ongoing Kosovo status talks.

Ruecker added that the "most important result" of last week's talks between Belgrade, Priština and the Troika teams in New York was the Contact Group's "reiterated position that Kosovo's status will be determined in line with the will of the majority in the province."

Today's regular monthly meeting dedicated to security in Kosovo concluded that the territory was "peaceful and stable."

Meanwhile, Reuters cited "Western experts on the Balkans" as saying that the European Union "must agree a legal basis for dealing with Kosovo, which appears headed for a de facto independence without a United Nations agreement on its future."

"EU capitals who favor an independent Kosovo should find an alternative legal basis for an EU mission there. At the same time they have to persuade doubters in the bloc not to veto the presence of such a mission," Reuters reported.

A split over Kosovo would undermine EU plans to take over police duties in the province but wreck its credibility in the very region, the report continued.

"We know that the last half a dozen are not going to be persuaded," Gareth Evans, head of the International Crisis Group think-tank, said of what Reuters described as "a clutch of mostly small European states which are most reluctant to accept Kosovo's independence."

"But the others can and should be looking to be ready to take a decision early next year," he told a Brussels conference, adding that he doubted last-ditch diplomatic efforts to resolve the stand-off would produce results by a December 10 deadline.

Evans said that, in the absence of a new UN mandate, "legitimacy for the EU presence involving some 1,850 police and judicial personnel could be provided by invitations from the Kosovo leadership and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon."

"It would be a 'double hook'," he said, noting that any effort by the West to remold the existing UN Security Council Resolution 1244 for a post-independence Kosovo would likely face resistance from Moscow, "and others."

According to the agency, alongside the United States, Britain and France lead a majority of EU states ready to recognize Kosovo's sovereignty.

Spain, Hungary, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus and Romania are reluctant either because of their proximity to the Balkans or fears it could encourage separatists at home.

Former European Parliament President Pat Cox urged reluctant EU countries to allow the EU mission to proceed without them.

"Doubters should be invited to engage in constructive abstentions. It is a capacity that is available when there are opinions short of consensus," he said of an arrangement under which states would not use their right to veto EU policy.

Question marks remain over the reaction of Germany to a unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo.

Diplomats say Berlin has concerns over the legal basis of its large contingent within NATO-led 17,000-strong peace force in Kosovo and argues that a simple invitation by Priština would not provide solid enough grounds for a long-term presence.

They say that while Chancellor Angela Merkel would rally to an independence declaration by Kosovo, her junior coalition partners the Social Democrats are less keen.