Rupel, Rice talk Kosovo

Dimitrij Rupel says that Washington wants Slovenia to put more pressure on those responsible for Kosovo and Serbia. The Slovenian foreign minister and president of the Common and Foreign Policy Council rounded off his trip to Washington with a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to discuss, primarily, Kosovo. Rupel, Rice talk Kosovo Rupel also met with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday, and yesterday with White House National Security adviser Stephen Hadley. “We talked about practical things, how to achieve certain things. Not so much about the EU-U.S., but more about the western Balkans, and a little about the Middle East,” the Slovenian foreign minister told the STA news agency. “We are both concerned about the Balkans, and believe that decisions and agreements need to be made in a very clear and realistic way. We do not want the situation to be allowed to slip, or for there to be any problems at the border between Kosovo and Serbia,” he said, adding that U.S. officials had told him that they had wished “the EU mission every success,” and had expressed their hope that the transfer of powers would take place soon. Asked whether it would be possible to resolve the Kosovo problem before the end of Slovenia’s EU presidency, Rupel said that everyone involved needed to remain realistic. “We will not solve all the problems. The EULEX mission’s arrival and the transfer of functions must be handled in accordance with the dates given and the constitution,” the minister said. He said that the new Kosovo constitution would come into force in mid-June. The Kosovo parliament approved the constitution on April 9, which opened the path to assuming administrative control from UNMIK, with the Kosovo institutions continuing to function under the EU mission.

Rupel, Rice talk Kosovo

Rupel also met with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday, and yesterday with White House National Security adviser Stephen Hadley.

“We talked about practical things, how to achieve certain things. Not so much about the EU-U.S., but more about the western Balkans, and a little about the Middle East,” the Slovenian foreign minister told the STA news agency.

“We are both concerned about the Balkans, and believe that decisions and agreements need to be made in a very clear and realistic way. We do not want the situation to be allowed to slip, or for there to be any problems at the border between Kosovo and Serbia,” he said, adding that U.S. officials had told him that they had wished “the EU mission every success,” and had expressed their hope that the transfer of powers would take place soon.

Asked whether it would be possible to resolve the Kosovo problem before the end of Slovenia’s EU presidency, Rupel said that everyone involved needed to remain realistic.

“We will not solve all the problems. The EULEX mission’s arrival and the transfer of functions must be handled in accordance with the dates given and the constitution,” the minister said.

He said that the new Kosovo constitution would come into force in mid-June.

The Kosovo parliament approved the constitution on April 9, which opened the path to assuming administrative control from UNMIK, with the Kosovo institutions continuing to function under the EU mission.