The EU should show full, long-term commitment to Kosovo

6.26.12pm GMT Wed 6th Sep 2006

At the end of today's debates on the EU preparation for its future role in Kosovo, ALDE MEP Istvan SZENT-IVANYI declared that "It has become obvious by now that the international community made a huge mistake by not settling the status of Kosovo at an earlier moment. Time did not solve anything, it only further complicated issues. The status of the territory must be settled by the end of this year: even without a consensus between Belgrade and Pristina, the international community must stand ready to end the deadlock."

Baroness Sarah LUDFORD MEP, UK, thinks that it is essential for the EU to show full, long-term and properly funded commitment to Kosovo, not make the same mistakes as the international community has done in Afghanistan. She urges that social and economic development be prioritised, since the creation of jobs is the best guarantor of peace. She stresses the need to safeguard the rights of the Serb and Roma minorities and urges consideration of a multi-ethnic multi-lingual university in Mitrovica as the focus of economic development in the north of Kosovo.

Jelko KACIN (LDS, Slovenia) considers that "the European Union still has much to do to move the discussion of Kosovo forward". He pointed out that the European Parliament has been the first to recognise the need for changing the status of Kosovo: "Only a state can negotiate stabilisation and cooperation agreements with the EU," he said. Kacin also called for the European Parliament and its delegation to be a primary force for developing links with the Kosovan parliamentary assembly and all its political factions as part of the longer term process on stabilising the country. The EU Council of Ministers too must make greater efforts to assist the efforts of UNMIC by recognising UN issued passports and thus facilitate free movement and opportunities".