EU foreign ministers closer to agreement on Kosovo’s independence

KOSOVO, seen as a defining issue in the EU’s foreign policy ability, was the focal point of EU leaders in Brussels yesterday, ahead of an EU summit on Friday.

Foreign ministers discussed the question of independence for the ethnic Albanian population (two million) from Serbia.

Yesterday was the UN- set deadline for a negotiated settlement on the issue — the province’s leaders have delayed a declaration of independence in anticipation of EU support.

However, foreign ministers achieved a measure of unity when all but one, Cyprus, agreed the EU should recognise Kosovo as a break-away state.

Up to now Spain, Greece and Slovakia have been reluctant to give it this status, together with Cyprus, as they fear it might have repercussions for them closer to home, especially in Spain where some regions are seeking greater autonomy.

But Cyprus and Greece fear it could lead to the international recognition of the northern part of Cyprus, held by Turkish Cypriots since 1974.

Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern said: “We appreciate the world was not going to fall in on December 10.”

But he said that if as expected there is a declaration of independence, possibly in February, the EU would have to manage that as well as they could.

The vast majority of the EU and the international community are moving towards some kind of independence for Kosovo. But they will have to wait until the EU leaders meet on Friday to see if Cyprus will abstain or veto a pro- independence position.

Ireland has a presence there with the NATO force and the advice from other countries in similar positions is that once independence is declared this will not change their status. However the Government is waiting for confirmation of this from the Attorney General to ensure that the UN resolution, under which Ireland operates, continues in force.

The Kosovo leadership began negotiations in Pristina with the EU and US on co-ordinating their independence declaration. It agreed to delay it to ensure it has the support of the EU, and until Serbia’s presidential elections end in early February.

Russia supports Serbia, which does not want to give up the territory where it says its nation began.