Biden: Independence irreversible, partition unacceptable

U.S. Vice-President Joseph Biden said in Pristina today that "Kosovo’s independence is an irreversible process". He added that the U.S. "supports the creation of a democratic society in Kosovo". Biden: Independence irreversible, partition unacceptable After meeting with Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, Biden said that “independent Kosovo is an irreversible process and that a partition of Kosovo is unacceptable”. “The Kosovo institutions have made significant progress and they should continue being democratic and multi-ethnic. The U.S. will support Kosovo as long as it is this way,” Biden said after receiving the “Golden Order of Freedom,” which is the "second highest order given out by the Kosovo president," reports said. The U.S. vice president was also quoted as saying that "significant results have been achieve in Kosovo in overcoming the consequences of the war", adding that "this pleases him greatly". “The entire Balkans must be oriented towards the European Union, that is the stance of the U.S.,” Biden said. According to announcements ealrier in the day, he would also be visiting the Kosovo assembly. Police announced that they would be blocking off entire streets in Pristina for several hours. Security measures are at their highest at the airport, on Kosovo’s main roads and streets, and there are American flags on display throughout the city, denoting the importance given to the visit. This is the first visit by one of the highest ranking official of the American administration since the Kosovo Albanians unilaterally proclaimed independence in February of last year. The U.S. Vice President will also be visiting the Serbian Orthodox monastery Visoki (High) Decani later in the day, and will also be going to the U.S. Bondsteel military camp near Urosevac. Albanian language media have called Biden’s visit a “strong act of support from the United States of America for independent Kosovo” quoting Biden’s stance from two days ago in Sarajevo, that Kosovo's independence is an “irreversible process and that it is of critical importance for the stability of the region”. Biden will be greeted in the streets of Pristina by primary and high school students. There are also billboards in the town with Biden’s picture reading “welcome and thank you". Albanians in Kosovo are not hiding their excitement regarding the visit, with Serbs in central Kosovo showing indifference, while those in the north have announced that they would be protesting. During his visit to Belgrade on Wednesday, Biden told Serbia’s senior officials that America is not expecting Serbia to recognize Kosovo and that this will not have an effect on further bilateral relations between the two countries. (Beta/AP)

Biden: Independence irreversible, partition unacceptable

After meeting with Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, Biden said that “independent Kosovo is an irreversible process and that a partition of Kosovo is unacceptable”.

“The Kosovo institutions have made significant progress and they should continue being democratic and multi-ethnic. The U.S. will support Kosovo as long as it is this way,” Biden said after receiving the “Golden Order of Freedom,” which is the "second highest order given out by the Kosovo president," reports said.

The U.S. vice president was also quoted as saying that "significant results have been achieve in Kosovo in overcoming the consequences of the war", adding that "this pleases him greatly".

“The entire Balkans must be oriented towards the European Union, that is the stance of the U.S.,” Biden said.

According to announcements ealrier in the day, he would also be visiting the Kosovo assembly. Police announced that they would be blocking off entire streets in Priština for several hours.

Security measures are at their highest at the airport, on Kosovo’s main roads and streets, and there are American flags on display throughout the city, denoting the importance given to the visit.

This is the first visit by one of the highest ranking official of the American administration since the Kosovo Albanians unilaterally proclaimed independence in February of last year.

The U.S. Vice President will also be visiting the Serbian Orthodox monastery Visoki (High) Dečani later in the day, and will also be going to the U.S. Bondsteel military camp near Uroševac.

Albanian language media have called Biden’s visit a “strong act of support from the United States of America for independent Kosovo” quoting Biden’s stance from two days ago in Sarajevo, that Kosovo's independence is an “irreversible process and that it is of critical importance for the stability of the region”.

Biden will be greeted in the streets of Priština by primary and high school students. There are also billboards in the town with Biden’s picture reading “welcome and thank you".

Albanians in Kosovo are not hiding their excitement regarding the visit, with Serbs in central Kosovo showing indifference, while those in the north have announced that they would be protesting.

During his visit to Belgrade on Wednesday, Biden told Serbia’s senior officials that America is not expecting Serbia to recognize Kosovo and that this will not have an effect on further bilateral relations between the two countries.