UK: Kosovo recognition not EU condition

UK Ambassador to Serbia Stephen Wordsworth says that recognizing Kosovo independence is not a condition for Serbia to become a European Union member.

Izvor: Beta

Friday, 13.02.2009.

13:14

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UK Ambassador to Serbia Stephen Wordsworth says that recognizing Kosovo independence is not a condition for Serbia to become a European Union member. Wordsworth said that cooperation with the Hague Tribunal was still the only political condition for the European integration of Serbia and the region. UK: Kosovo recognition not EU condition “Regarding Kosovo, no one is asking Serbia to recognize its independence. Serbia must find a way, on its own, to face the fact that Kosovo has been recognized by 22 EU member-states,” he said. The ambassador said that one of Serbia’s greatest problems currently was the tardiness in adopting European laws because of the blockade in the parliament. Wordsworth said that he was optimistic about Serbia’s EU future, but that it was difficult to talk about time frames. “It is, of course, a question of several years, but there are phases that exist on that road, and it is important to move forward, to adopt and implement the needed laws, and the EU will back this process,” he said. Wordsworth reiterated that “Great Britain is one of the 25 EU member-states that support the unfreezing of the interim agreement, but these issues are decided on by a consensus in the EU, and two member-states did not agree.” “But I don’t believe that it’s even that important in the end. It is a question of a few months. It is much more important for Serbia to move forward with the adoption and implementation of laws that will have a much greater influence on the timing of her EU accession, than the odd month, here or there, for the interim agreement,” he said. Regarding the anniversary of Kosovo’s unilateral independence dclaration, Wordsworth said that the status issue for Kosovo was a “done deal”, and that there would be no dialogue regarding that matter between Belgrade and Pristina. What needs to happen, in the ambassador’s opinion, is dialogue regarding practical issues within the six-point plan, though the way in which this dialogue will be organized and at what level have still to be defined. Stephen Wordsworth (FoNet, archive)

UK: Kosovo recognition not EU condition

“Regarding Kosovo, no one is asking Serbia to recognize its independence. Serbia must find a way, on its own, to face the fact that Kosovo has been recognized by 22 EU member-states,” he said.

The ambassador said that one of Serbia’s greatest problems currently was the tardiness in adopting European laws because of the blockade in the parliament.

Wordsworth said that he was optimistic about Serbia’s EU future, but that it was difficult to talk about time frames.

“It is, of course, a question of several years, but there are phases that exist on that road, and it is important to move forward, to adopt and implement the needed laws, and the EU will back this process,” he said.

Wordsworth reiterated that “Great Britain is one of the 25 EU member-states that support the unfreezing of the interim agreement, but these issues are decided on by a consensus in the EU, and two member-states did not agree.”

“But I don’t believe that it’s even that important in the end. It is a question of a few months. It is much more important for Serbia to move forward with the adoption and implementation of laws that will have a much greater influence on the timing of her EU accession, than the odd month, here or there, for the interim agreement,” he said.

Regarding the anniversary of Kosovo’s unilateral independence dclaration, Wordsworth said that the status issue for Kosovo was a “done deal”, and that there would be no dialogue regarding that matter between Belgrade and Priština.

What needs to happen, in the ambassador’s opinion, is dialogue regarding practical issues within the six-point plan, though the way in which this dialogue will be organized and at what level have still to be defined.

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