Kosovo to aim for 'coordinated' declaration of independence 07.12.2007 - 17:43 CET | By Renata Goldirova
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – With diplomatic efforts led by the US, the EU and Russia on the final status of Kosovo now exhausted, the EU is setting itself on a pragmatic course, which could see the breakaway province of Serbia becoming independent as a result of a "coordinated" procedure with the international community. On Monday (10 December), the diplomatic trio is going to report back to the United Nations Security Council, stating that the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina have failed to result in a compromise. Further UN talks are scheduled for 19 December, but diplomats say the UN body - the only one entitled to determine Kosovo's future status - is far from likely to unanimously agree on the way forward. While major western powers see no room for a further round of negotiations, Russia firmly opposes any solution, which has not won Serbia's consent. "Did we close the gaps today - no, we did not", NATO spokesperson James Apathurai said on Friday (7 December), after the 26-member Alliance discussed the issue with Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov. The EU is currently discussing a scenario under which Kosovo avoids a unilateral declaration of independence, but announces its own state as a result of coordination with international community. "It is not a matter of whether Kosovo declares its independence, but of when and in what way it does so", one EU diplomat said. According to a legal opinion drafted by one leading EU member state, the current UN resolution on Kosovo, 1244, could serve as a legal base for such a solution, as it "does not prevent Kosovo's independence [nor does it prevent] recognition of Kosovo's independence". Some EU diplomats suggest that the union could follow the Montenegro precedent. That would mean the 27-nation union would "take note" of Kosovo's independence, but it would be up to individual governments to decide whether they recognise the newly-born state. However, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov warned against any solution that does not have a fresh UN Security Council resolution, backed by all its members. Russia is "only for a solution acceptable to both sides (...) and based on international law," said Mr Lavrov. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, for her part, said that stability in the Balkans will not come about by ignoring reality and pretending we do not have to make decisions. It is believed that Washington would recognize even Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence, as the implementation of the UN's Ahtisaari plan - setting Kosovo on the road to sovereignty - is seen there as the best alternative in the absence of a negotiated deal. But the burning question is whether the EU will pass this crucial test of its foreign policy by remaining united. Cyprus and Romania remain most opposed to the idea of Kosovo's independence due to their domestic problems – Cyprus is concerned about the fate of Northern Cyprus, occupied by Turkey, while Romania is worried about its Hungarian minority. Another opponent, Slovakia, seems to be slowly changing its stance, with the country's foreign minister Jan Kubis saying "it certainly makes a difference, what form and what substance the declaration [of independence] has". All sensitivities will be discussed by 27 EU leaders, when they meet in Brussels next Friday (14 December). According to draft conclusions of the meeting, they will "express gratitude" to the diplomatic troika for its efforts to negotiate a deal, but will also "regret" the ultimate failure. In addition, the bloc will say it is "ready to assist Kosovo on its path to stability (...) and to intensify" efforts to take over from UNMIK, the 3,000-strong UN administration that has been running Kosovo since 1999. NATO, for its part, agreed on Friday to step up its presence in the disputed province of Kosovo - operational under UN resolution 1244 - with the alliance spokesperson saying "forces are prepared for any eventuality". http://euobserver.com/9/25298/?rk=1
