Hoon won’t visit Serbia

Hoon won’t visit Serbia

“Due to the recent referendum, and the fact that election date talks are under way, minister Hoon believes the time for his visit to Serbia is not right”, an embassy source told Beta.

Geoff Hoon starts a three-day visit to the region today, visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro.

"The UK, along with the other members of the Contact Group and the EU, is committed to finding a durable solution to the issue of Kosovo's final status. The settlement must be acceptable to the people of Kosovo, preserve Kosovo's multi-ethnic society and enhance regional stability. As Contact Group Ministers said in London in January, and reaffirmed in New York in September, all possible efforts should be made to achieve a negotiated settlement in the course of 2006”, Hoon said ahead of his visit to Priština.

“I am looking forward to meeting my counterparts and key local and international partners. Our discussions will include the preparations for the implementation of the status settlement, including through a continued military presence to provide a safe and secure environment, and an international civilian presence to supervise implementation of the settlement and ensure that its provisions are upheld.”, he added.

Commenting his forthcoming visit to Montenegro, Hoon said: “The UK was among the first to recognize Montenegro's independence in May, and I am delighted to be the first UK minister to visit the country since independence. The UK is looking forward to working with the new Government and the people of Montenegro, and is a very firm supporter of their EU and NATO aspirations.”

Geoff Hoon’s visit to Montenegro will be the first to the newly independent country by a UK minister.