"Condition Serbia with Kosovo recognition"

Former U.S. Balkan envoy Richard Holbrooke today called on Montenegro and Macedonia to recognize Kosovo.

Izvor: Beta

Monday, 08.09.2008.

10:37

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Former U.S. Balkan envoy Richard Holbrooke today called on Montenegro and Macedonia to recognize Kosovo. At the same time, he said that the European Union must not accept Serbia's membership as long as Belgrade has "pretensions on Kosovo and considers it her territory". "Condition Serbia with Kosovo recognition" "If Serbia is admitted to the EU, this mast take place if there is full agreement for Belgrade to recognize Kosovo as an independent state," Holbrooke told reporters today. "The EU would make a serious mistake if it accepts Serbia while she has pretensions on Kosovo as a part of her territory. That would be very dangerous," he said after a meeting with Hashim Thaci. Holbrooke also praised Kosovo's handling of the challenge to be recognized by other countries, "bearing in mind the global campaign against its independence, led by Russia". He rejected any similarities between Kosovo and South Ossetia and Abkhazia. This, Holbrooke explained, is because Russia has "annexed these Georgian territories", while the UN, EU and the United States took the issue of Kosovo to the UN from 1999 until 2008, "after which Kosovo became independent". Kosovo's independence declaration came after Moscow threatened to veto the Ahtisaari plan, he continued, describing this move by the Kosovo Albanians as "completely correct". "There were three options, for Kosovo to go back under Serbia's fold, which would have caused war, to stay under the UN, which was no longer possible, and to declare independence. It was an easy decision," the former U.S. official was quoted as saying today. He added that Kosovo's challenges ahead are a continued recognition process and economic development. Earlier, Holbrooke said that his visit would be “very emotional".

"Condition Serbia with Kosovo recognition"

"If Serbia is admitted to the EU, this mast take place if there is full agreement for Belgrade to recognize Kosovo as an independent state," Holbrooke told reporters today.

"The EU would make a serious mistake if it accepts Serbia while she has pretensions on Kosovo as a part of her territory. That would be very dangerous," he said after a meeting with Hashim Thaci.

Holbrooke also praised Kosovo's handling of the challenge to be recognized by other countries, "bearing in mind the global campaign against its independence, led by Russia".

He rejected any similarities between Kosovo and South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

This, Holbrooke explained, is because Russia has "annexed these Georgian territories", while the UN, EU and the United States took the issue of Kosovo to the UN from 1999 until 2008, "after which Kosovo became independent".

Kosovo's independence declaration came after Moscow threatened to veto the Ahtisaari plan, he continued, describing this move by the Kosovo Albanians as "completely correct".

"There were three options, for Kosovo to go back under Serbia's fold, which would have caused war, to stay under the UN, which was no longer possible, and to declare independence. It was an easy decision," the former U.S. official was quoted as saying today.

He added that Kosovo's challenges ahead are a continued recognition process and economic development.

Earlier, Holbrooke said that his visit would be “very emotional".

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