U.S. Pressuring Balkan States to Support Kosovo Independence
SERBIANNA (USA) October 20, 2005. 11:47 AM (15:47 GMT)
Official Kosovo Albanian sources in Pristina have said that the U.S. is exerting pressure on Macedonia and Montenegro to express public support for Kosovo's independence and thereby isolate Serbia in its position against Kosovo's independence.
One of the criteria for determining future status of Serbian Kosovo province is, according to the US Under-Secretary Nicholas Burns, a position of the neighboring states.
Kosovo Albanian sources have indicated that the prime ministers of Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro might publicly embrace the prospect of an independent Kosovo at a joint meeting before November 10th, when status talks are expected to begin.
Prime Minister of Macedonia, Vlado Buckovski, said that he is unaware of a joint statement but intends to visit Pristina.
"I was reassured by our friends from Pristina that they would respect the territorial integrity of Macedonia," Macedonian Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski said late Tuesday. "[I]t is becoming evident that the Republic of Macedonia and its territorial integrity and sovereignty are not threatened by Kosovo's eventual final status," Buckovski added.
Macedonia has expressed concern that an independent Kosovo may be a springboard for future violent division of their state along ethnic lines where a large ethnic Albanian minority has already fomented violence under pretext of obtaining more rights.
This weekend, Buckovski will meet with Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha to discuss issues of territorial integrity. Berisha has already met with the Kosovo's UN administrator Søren Jessen-Petersen as well as Montenegro authorities.
On Sunday, Buckovski will go to Washington where he is expected to declare that Macedonia has dramatically improved its communications with Kosovo Albanian authorities.
Kosovo Albanian Assembly Speaker Nexhat Daci recently told the visiting Slovene Ambassador to the OSCE Janez Lenarcic, that a territorial break up of Serbia that will grant independence to Kosovo will not be negotiated by anyone and is the interest of stability of the region. During the visit, Kosovo Albanian authorities also declared that they support Macedonian territorial integrity.
President of Slovenia recently expressed an opinion that independence is the only solution to Kosovo's unresolved status.
Status of Kosovo became a question only after the conclusion of NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999.
One of the criteria for determining future status of Serbian Kosovo province is, according to the US Under-Secretary Nicholas Burns, a position of the neighboring states.
Kosovo Albanian sources have indicated that the prime ministers of Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro might publicly embrace the prospect of an independent Kosovo at a joint meeting before November 10th, when status talks are expected to begin.
Prime Minister of Macedonia, Vlado Buckovski, said that he is unaware of a joint statement but intends to visit Pristina.
"I was reassured by our friends from Pristina that they would respect the territorial integrity of Macedonia," Macedonian Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski said late Tuesday. "[I]t is becoming evident that the Republic of Macedonia and its territorial integrity and sovereignty are not threatened by Kosovo's eventual final status," Buckovski added.
Macedonia has expressed concern that an independent Kosovo may be a springboard for future violent division of their state along ethnic lines where a large ethnic Albanian minority has already fomented violence under pretext of obtaining more rights.
This weekend, Buckovski will meet with Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha to discuss issues of territorial integrity. Berisha has already met with the Kosovo's UN administrator Søren Jessen-Petersen as well as Montenegro authorities.
On Sunday, Buckovski will go to Washington where he is expected to declare that Macedonia has dramatically improved its communications with Kosovo Albanian authorities.
Kosovo Albanian Assembly Speaker Nexhat Daci recently told the visiting Slovene Ambassador to the OSCE Janez Lenarcic, that a territorial break up of Serbia that will grant independence to Kosovo will not be negotiated by anyone and is the interest of stability of the region. During the visit, Kosovo Albanian authorities also declared that they support Macedonian territorial integrity.
President of Slovenia recently expressed an opinion that independence is the only solution to Kosovo's unresolved status.
Status of Kosovo became a question only after the conclusion of NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999.
posted by Snezana @ 06:45
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