Schroeder: Kosovo recognition “grave mistake”

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder says that the recognition of Kosovo’s unilateral independence declaration was a grave mistake.

Izvor: Tanjug

Thursday, 15.10.2009.

11:00

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Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder says that the recognition of Kosovo’s unilateral independence declaration was a grave mistake. In an interview with Serbian weekly NIN, Schroeder said that this was backed up by the fact that two-thirds of the international community had not recognized Kosovo. Schroeder: Kosovo recognition “grave mistake” “I criticized the recognition of Kosovo independence, because it was rushed and pushed through by pressure from the then American administration,” Schroeder said. He added that no parallels could be drawn between the NATO interventions of 1999, in which the German government participated, because that had been a “united European decision.” “I still believe that it was just, but I am aware that it caused great suffering for many,” Schroeder said. He also said that the future of Serbia was in the European Union. “Serbia has a pro-European government and pro-European president, who are both doing a great job. But, if the EU does not support what they are doing, there is a danger that retrograde powers in Serbia could gain strength and send the country back into isolation, which would be a catastrophe for Serbia, and for the Union,” the former chancellor cautioned. He said that the EU must speed up Serbia’s integration process, reiterating that many conditions had already been fulfilled. “This has to apply to the liberalization of the visa regime and the improvement of economic cooperation. Serbia, however, also needs to be told when association negotiations will begin,” the former chancellor said. He added that, as far as he was concerned, this should happen as soon as possible, adding that Serbia must complete several other conditions in order to achieve this goal. Gerhard Schroeder (FoNet, archive)

Schroeder: Kosovo recognition “grave mistake”

“I criticized the recognition of Kosovo independence, because it was rushed and pushed through by pressure from the then American administration,” Schroeder said.

He added that no parallels could be drawn between the NATO interventions of 1999, in which the German government participated, because that had been a “united European decision.”

“I still believe that it was just, but I am aware that it caused great suffering for many,” Schroeder said.

He also said that the future of Serbia was in the European Union.

“Serbia has a pro-European government and pro-European president, who are both doing a great job. But, if the EU does not support what they are doing, there is a danger that retrograde powers in Serbia could gain strength and send the country back into isolation, which would be a catastrophe for Serbia, and for the Union,” the former chancellor cautioned.

He said that the EU must speed up Serbia’s integration process, reiterating that many conditions had already been fulfilled.

“This has to apply to the liberalization of the visa regime and the improvement of economic cooperation. Serbia, however, also needs to be told when association negotiations will begin,” the former chancellor said.

He added that, as far as he was concerned, this should happen as soon as possible, adding that Serbia must complete several other conditions in order to achieve this goal.

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