Slovenia concerned over Kosovo

Dimitrij Rupel said that Slovenia was concerned over the postponement of Martti Ahtisaari’s Kosovo plan. The Slovenian Foreign Minister was in Paris for an advisory French diplomacy meeting. Slovenia concerned over Kosovo The meeting’s aim was to confirm next year’s transfer of power, when Slovenia assumes the European Union presidency in the first half of 2008. Rupel said that Kosovo was a big problem for Europe, stating that the situation had become "very complicated". He added that it was worrying that UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s plan for internationally-supervised independence for Kosovo - which most of the EU, including Slovenia supported - had been postponed. “This is a very worrying situation for Slovenia, because a lot of issues will still be active when Slovenia chairs the EU,” Rupel said, adding that Slovenia would be very engaged in trying to solve the Kosovo status crisis. He also discussed the partition of the province, stating that there had been too much talk of the issue, given that it was rejected by the EU from the very beginning. “The partition of Kosovo could offer inspiration to other Balkan countries and set even more of a precedent for other countries, especially on the territory of the former Soviet Union. A partition could also take place on its own, once unilateral independence is proclaimed for Kosovo,” Rupel said. Slovenia sees the effects on regional stability, unity within the EU and NATO regarding the question, avoiding confrontation with Russia, and the task of finding a solution to satisfy Serbia as essential issues linked to the partition of Kosovo. He said that the problem and confusion concerning the province’s status needed to be cleared up. “That status was, in the time of Yugoslavia, practically identical to the status of a republic that no one stopped from becoming a state,” Rupel said. Speaking of Serbia, Rupel said that there should be a new formula for bringing Serbia closer to the EU, and a new concept. “We could offer Serbia added responsibilities for solving the Kosovo crisis, for example, including them in the Contact Group, but in a supervisory capacity,” he said. Rupel added that the next enlargement of the EU should be aimed at the western Balkans. “I think that the EU should energetically support the Balkan states, and the people there,” Rupel said. Dimitrij Rupel (FoNet, archive)

Slovenia concerned over Kosovo

The meeting’s aim was to confirm next year’s transfer of power, when Slovenia assumes the European Union presidency in the first half of 2008.

Rupel said that Kosovo was a big problem for Europe, stating that the situation had become "very complicated".

He added that it was worrying that UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s plan for internationally-supervised independence for Kosovo - which most of the EU, including Slovenia supported - had been postponed.

“This is a very worrying situation for Slovenia, because a lot of issues will still be active when Slovenia chairs the EU,” Rupel said, adding that Slovenia would be very engaged in trying to solve the Kosovo status crisis.

He also discussed the partition of the province, stating that there had been too much talk of the issue, given that it was rejected by the EU from the very beginning.

“The partition of Kosovo could offer inspiration to other Balkan countries and set even more of a precedent for other countries, especially on the territory of the former Soviet Union. A partition could also take place on its own, once unilateral independence is proclaimed for Kosovo,” Rupel said.

Slovenia sees the effects on regional stability, unity within the EU and NATO regarding the question, avoiding confrontation with Russia, and the task of finding a solution to satisfy Serbia as essential issues linked to the partition of Kosovo.

He said that the problem and confusion concerning the province’s status needed to be cleared up.

“That status was, in the time of Yugoslavia, practically identical to the status of a republic that no one stopped from becoming a state,” Rupel said.

Speaking of Serbia, Rupel said that there should be a new formula for bringing Serbia closer to the EU, and a new concept.

“We could offer Serbia added responsibilities for solving the Kosovo crisis, for example, including them in the Contact Group, but in a supervisory capacity,” he said.

Rupel added that the next enlargement of the EU should be aimed at the western Balkans.

“I think that the EU should energetically support the Balkan states, and the people there,” Rupel said.