Greece: EU must be united over Kosovo

Greece believes the EU should have a united position over Kosovo, says Foreign Ministry spokesman Jorgos Koumoutsakos. Koumoutsakos called the Kosovo crisis “a European matter of the greatest significance,“ reported Greek agency ANA. Greece: EU must be united over Kosovo He added that Greece was in no rush to take a decision on Kosovo, but that it would carefully assess all the options. The spokesman said that a united position did not mean imposing a single point of view on all EU member states, but taking into consideration the fears and doubts of other members. Koumoutsakos added that it was important to take measures to ensure regional stability, stressing that Greece’s position had not changed. Meanwhile, the U.S. ambassador to Montenegro Roderick Moore says that the U.S. should not extend talks over Kosovo’s status, as Belgrade and Pristina would not reach agreement even in 20 years of talks. Moore added that the U.S. supported Kosovo independence as it saw no other long-term viable solution. “They wouldn't reach agreement in 20 years. Such a solution is unsustainable, and the only viable outcome, which is not ideal, is for Kosovo to break away from Serbia,“ the ambassador told reporters. He said that he believed that independence would lead to regional stability, and he felt that “there is not a single citizen in Kosovo who would allow the Serbian authorities to return to the province.“ Moore did not specify whether he was referring only to Albanians. “All the efforts that have been made to solve the Kosovo crisis over the last few years have not brought about a different conclusion,“ said the ambassador. Asked how independence could contribute to regional stability when it was certain that Serbia and Russia would react negatively to a sovereign country being stripped of a part of its territory, he replied that he believed in the good sense of Serbian politicians.

Greece: EU must be united over Kosovo

He added that Greece was in no rush to take a decision on Kosovo, but that it would carefully assess all the options.

The spokesman said that a united position did not mean imposing a single point of view on all EU member states, but taking into consideration the fears and doubts of other members.

Koumoutsakos added that it was important to take measures to ensure regional stability, stressing that Greece’s position had not changed.

Meanwhile, the U.S. ambassador to Montenegro Roderick Moore says that the U.S. should not extend talks over Kosovo’s status, as Belgrade and Priština would not reach agreement even in 20 years of talks.

Moore added that the U.S. supported Kosovo independence as it saw no other long-term viable solution.

“They wouldn't reach agreement in 20 years. Such a solution is unsustainable, and the only viable outcome, which is not ideal, is for Kosovo to break away from Serbia,“ the ambassador told reporters.

He said that he believed that independence would lead to regional stability, and he felt that “there is not a single citizen in Kosovo who would allow the Serbian authorities to return to the province.“ Moore did not specify whether he was referring only to Albanians.

“All the efforts that have been made to solve the Kosovo crisis over the last few years have not brought about a different conclusion,“ said the ambassador.

Asked how independence could contribute to regional stability when it was certain that Serbia and Russia would react negatively to a sovereign country being stripped of a part of its territory, he replied that he believed in the good sense of Serbian politicians.