by Vanessa Mock in Brussels
A rift has emerged in the European Union over the future of Kosovo. Slovakia, along with a handful of other EU countries, says it has big reservations about a UN plan to grant supervised independence to the Serbian province.
The move comes as a blow to the current German presidency of the EU, which has been striving to present a unified European front at Tuesday’s meeting of the United Nations Security Council. That’s when the council will start to review the Kosovo ‘roadmap’ and when the EU planned to turn up on the heat on the plan’s staunchest opponents - Serbia and its ally, Russia.
United front
The European Union must stand united behind the United Nations plan for an independent Kosovo. That’s been the goal ever since UN Special Envoy Marti Ahtisaari presented his plan on the future of the province earlier this year. A united front is the only way to win over those countries - such as Russia - in the Security Council that are threatening to use their veto to block a resolution on Kosovo’s status, as Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen explains: “I am convinced that its also essential that we have a common approach within the EU because if you want to influence Russia but also non-European Security Council members, as European member states then you must have a common and united position.” Marti AhtisaariBut not everything in life works according to plan, especially not in the 27-member European Union. During the weekend’s meeting of EU foreign ministers in Germany, Slovakia came out against the roadmap for Kosovo, arguing that it doesn’t take into consideration the objections of the Serbian government.
Old friend
Slovakia is an old friend of Serbia and it’s also a temporary member of the Security Council - though, unlike Russia, it doesn’t hold a veto right. Two other EU countries, Spain and Cyprus - which both have problems with separatist or breakaway regions -also have reservations. Alberto Navarro, Spain’s Minister for Europe, explained why:
“We are worried that the European map is changing every year. Just a few months ago Montenegro popped up on our maps and now we’re talking about an imposed independence for Kosovo without a proper legal basis.”
Slovakia, Spain and some other EU countries are asking for more time to find a solution agreeable to both Pristina (capital of Kosovo) and Belgrade, but German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier says it’s too late for misgivings. He insisted at a news conference over the weekend that the common European position in support of the UN plan had been set and it was up to the Security Council to decide how to proceed: “It’s never the case that our European partners all agree on everything - if we did, we wouldn’t need to get together for meetings of this kind. But the EU’s position is clearly set. We’ve entered a new phase: the Security Council. It’s the council members who must determine the next phase. And it really comes down to it that we have to negotiate further [on the details of the plan] then we’ll have to have intensive discussions at the EU level on the way forward.”Maxime VerhagenNo such unity
But there was a hollow ring to Mr Steinmeiers’ brave words: just minutes earlier, Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Jan Kubis declared there was no such unity.
Mr Steinmeier says no resolution could trigger instability in the Balkans and could plunge the EU into crisis over its top foreign policy priority. Once the status question is settled, the EU will launch its biggest civilian mission when it takes over policing Kosovo.
Dutch Foreign Minister Verhagen says this is the only option on the table:
“Without a resolution we can’t have an independent Kosovo. And therefore, we have to work hard together to realise the Security Council resolution on the basis of the Ahtisaari plan.” The meeting on Tuesday will serve as a warm-up session for the process of adopting a resolution for Kosovo’s supervised independence. It’s now up to other EU members to lean heavily on Slovakia to make sure that there is no breakdown of the Kosovo plan.
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If the E U can put up a unified front on Kosovo indeprndence . Than they wont have to furnish security any more . Not that they have really furnished satisfactory security anyway . But its less embarassing for the politicians than admitting they furished the airforce for Al Qaeeda
Most of the E.U. countries know this and realize exactly what Al Qaeda plans to do in thier countries . Same as Serbia , afganistan , palestine , kashmire ,Lebanon and Cypress . Evrey place where muslims have ever been , or could be . Muslims need more land becuase muslims have more babies .
Comment by eric — April 15, 2007 #