EU divided on Kosovo

Governments free to decide; US indicates it intends to recognize new state

Kosovo Serbs at a protest against the ethnic-Albanian dominated province’s declaration of indepen dence, near the main bridge in the ethnically divided northern town of Mitrovica yesterday.

By Ingrid Melander and Mark John - Reuters

BRUSSELS – The European Union pledged on Monday that the entire Western Balkans would one day join the bloc and vowed to work for stability in the region, while leaving each member free to decide on recognizing Kosovo’s independence.

France immediately announced that it was recognizing the new state, which declared its secession from Serbia on Sunday, and others were expected to follow within hours.

“The (EU) Council notes that member states will decide, in accordance with national practice and international law, on their relations with Kosovo,” a joint statement adopted by the 27 EU foreign ministers said.

The ministers stressed that Kosovo was a unique case which did not set any precedent for other breakaway regions in the world or call into question international legal principles because of the Yugoslav conflicts of the 1990s.

Spain, grappling with its own Basque and Catalan separatist movements, vowed not to recognize the new state but helped clinch a compromise in the EU by reaffirming the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

EU president Slovenia said it expected many of the 27 member states to recognize Kosovo’s declaration of independence.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said President Nicolas Sarkozy had written a letter of recognition which would be transmitted to the president of Kosovo later in the day.

Highlighting differences, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos told reporters earlier: “The government of Spain will not recognize the unilateral act proclaimed yesterday by the assembly of Kosovo.

“We will not recognize because we consider... this does not respect international law,” he said, adding that to be legal, secession from Serbia required either an agreement between the parties or a UN Security Council resolution.

The EU ministers noted Kosovo’s declaration, pledged to work for stability and reaffirmed the “European perspective” of the entire Western Balkans – a code phrase for eventual EU membership.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Berlin would not take a final decision yesterday but Kosovo’s ethnic-Albanian prime minister, Hashim Thaci, a US-backed former guerrilla leader, said in Pristina he expected first recognitions “any minute.”

An EU diplomat said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier would indicate Berlin’s intention to recognize Kosovo after yesterday’s meeting.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the EU must show leadership in the Western Balkans.

The United States also indicated yesterday it would recognize Kosovo. President George W. Bush, on a visit to Africa, said the people of Kosovo were independent and Washington would make an official statement today.

Aside from Spain, at least five EU states – Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania – have indicated they will not recognize Kosovo independence now because of legal misgivings or concern about restive minorities in their own countries.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana urged restraint after Serbian nationalists stoned Western embassies in Belgrade in anger at the declaration of independence by Kosovo’s ethnic Albanians.

“The EU has already decided to send a mission, a mission of stability, a mission of rule of law. It should contribute to the stability of the Balkans,” Solana told reporters.

NICOSIA (AFP) – The breakaway state in northern Cyprus hailed yesterday Kosovo’s declaration of independence, saying no people should be forced to live under the sovereignity of others.

“I salute the independence of Kosovo,” said Mehmet Ali Talat, the leader of the breakaway state, which is recognized only by Turkey, in a statement.

“I ask that those who object to the independence of Kosovo take into consideration that no people can be forced to live under the rule of another people,” he said.