"Kosovo to be focus of Slovenian EU presidency"

Dimitrij Rupel says Slovenia has much on its plate with the Kosovo crisis.

Izvor: B92

Tuesday, 04.12.2007.

09:19

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Dimitrij Rupel says Slovenia has much on its plate with the Kosovo crisis. The Slovenian foreign minister added that he hoped that Serbia would sign the SAA as soon as possible. "Kosovo to be focus of Slovenian EU presidency" Rupel said yesterday that Slovenia was not responsible for Kosovo, but that, during its mandate as EU president, it would “have a lot of work with that problem.“ He said that the international community had thus far shown a great deal of constructiveness and responsibility, but that the current debate on the province would not bring unexpected results, but should rather seek other possibilities. Precisely for that reason, according to the Slovenian foreign minister, more dialogue was needed, not only with Belgrade and Pristina, but within the EU itself, in order to preserve its unity. Meanwhile, he added that the EU should continue to be present in Kosovo both militarily and administratively, as Kosovo was above all Europe’s, not Russia or the U.S.’s, responsibility. That is why he expected Europe to have at its disposal “some implement“ for achieving its aim. Aside from Kosovo, Rupel spoke of the west Balkans and Serbia. He stated that Slovenia wanted progress to be made in all the nations of the region as soon as possible. “We want not just Macedonia and Montenegro to begin talks with the EU without any further delay, but also Serbia and Bosnia-Hercegovina, once they sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA),“ stressed the Slovenian foreign minister. He added that Serbia and Bosnia-Hercegovina could sign the agreement during the Slovenian presidency, provided Serbia achieved full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, and provided Bosnia adopted police reform. In spite of the fact that Slovenia intends to deal with issues pertaining to Serbia and Kosovo, Serbia is still without an ambassador in Ljubljana.. Dimitrij Rupel (FoNet, archive)

"Kosovo to be focus of Slovenian EU presidency"

Rupel said yesterday that Slovenia was not responsible for Kosovo, but that, during its mandate as EU president, it would “have a lot of work with that problem.“

He said that the international community had thus far shown a great deal of constructiveness and responsibility, but that the current debate on the province would not bring unexpected results, but should rather seek other possibilities.

Precisely for that reason, according to the Slovenian foreign minister, more dialogue was needed, not only with Belgrade and Priština, but within the EU itself, in order to preserve its unity.

Meanwhile, he added that the EU should continue to be present in Kosovo both militarily and administratively, as Kosovo was above all Europe’s, not Russia or the U.S.’s, responsibility. That is why he expected Europe to have at its disposal “some implement“ for achieving its aim.

Aside from Kosovo, Rupel spoke of the west Balkans and Serbia. He stated that Slovenia wanted progress to be made in all the nations of the region as soon as possible.

“We want not just Macedonia and Montenegro to begin talks with the EU without any further delay, but also Serbia and Bosnia-Hercegovina, once they sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA),“ stressed the Slovenian foreign minister.

He added that Serbia and Bosnia-Hercegovina could sign the agreement during the Slovenian presidency, provided Serbia achieved full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, and provided Bosnia adopted police reform.

In spite of the fact that Slovenia intends to deal with issues pertaining to Serbia and Kosovo, Serbia is still without an ambassador in Ljubljana..

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