"Serbia will be asked to recognize Kosovo"

German Ambassador in Pristina Hans-Dieter Steinbach has said his country "supports Kosovo's and Serbia's accession into the EU as two separate countries". He added that Serbia will be asked to recognize Kosovo during its EU integration. "Serbia will be asked to recognize Kosovo" "Sometime during the EU integration process the issue of Kosovo's recognition will come up, he stated, adding that the EU would never take in two countries that do not recognize each other," the diplomat told Pristina-based Albanian language daily Koha Ditore. The northern Kosovo issue should be put on the table in the talks between Belgrade and Pristina after a certain time, Steinbach said of the area predominantly inhabited by Serbs, who do not accept the authority of the Pristina government, or the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration of independence made in February 2008. The discussion about the north "should not be related to some kind of division or anything similar, but should be aimed at ensuring proper conditions for Serbs in that part of Kosovo and having them accept the rules of the state of Kosovo," said the German envoy. The German official said he did not think there was "a risk of failure in trying to turn Kosovo into a country". "Kosovo has been recognized by 76 countries, and although the process is somewhat slow, there will be new recognitions," he remarked. "Germany will oppose any threat to Kosovo's sovereignty, its division or change of borders," Steinbach explained.. He added that "only safe borders can bring stability to the Balkans and Europe". The comments came after a group of German MPs visiting Belgrade voiced similar sentiments last month, saying that Serbia would have to "de facto" recognize its southern province as independent if it wished to join the EU.

"Serbia will be asked to recognize Kosovo"

"Sometime during the EU integration process the issue of Kosovo's recognition will come up, he stated, adding that the EU would never take in two countries that do not recognize each other," the diplomat told Priština-based Albanian language daily Koha Ditore.

The northern Kosovo issue should be put on the table in the talks between Belgrade and Priština after a certain time, Steinbach said of the area predominantly inhabited by Serbs, who do not accept the authority of the Priština government, or the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration of independence made in February 2008.

The discussion about the north "should not be related to some kind of division or anything similar, but should be aimed at ensuring proper conditions for Serbs in that part of Kosovo and having them accept the rules of the state of Kosovo," said the German envoy.

The German official said he did not think there was "a risk of failure in trying to turn Kosovo into a country".

"Kosovo has been recognized by 76 countries, and although the process is somewhat slow, there will be new recognitions," he remarked.

"Germany will oppose any threat to Kosovo's sovereignty, its division or change of borders," Steinbach explained..

He added that "only safe borders can bring stability to the Balkans and Europe".

The comments came after a group of German MPs visiting Belgrade voiced similar sentiments last month, saying that Serbia would have to "de facto" recognize its southern province as independent if it wished to join the EU.