EU Contact Group ministers, Solana, Rehn to meet in Slovenia over Kosovo

The meeting, hosted by Slovenian foreign minister and chairman of the Council of ministers Dimitrij Rupel, will be attended by High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana and Enlargement Commissionner Olli Rehn.

A Slovenian EU presidency source said on Monday a decision on sending an ESDP mission to Kosovo was unlikely at the next GAERC session on January 28, but could take place in February.

Meanwhile, in Belgrade, Serbian State Secretary for Kosovo Dusan Prorokovic said it was not Serbia which changed its policy on the EU, but Brussels which changed its policy on Belgrade.

Prorokovic pointed out that if a certain number of EU countries acknowledged the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo, it would be a severe violation of Serbia's territorial integrity, to which Belgrade must react.

A unilateral and unlawful recognition of an independent Kosovo would not be a "friendly act," and Serbia would be forced to then turn to new strategic partners, i.e. those countries that supported Serbia's territorial integrity, he said.

Prorokovic recalled that the EU could sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) only with those countries recognized by the UN, and since Kosovo would not have the world organization's recognition without consent from Russia and Serbia, the province's European prospect was brought in question.

"Serbia is not the one trying to annul the already initialed SAA. If the member countries unlawfully send a mission to Kosovo, recognize the independence of one part of Serbian territory and thus breach Serbia's territorial integrity, they will unilaterally abandon that document with Serbia," he added.

"In that case, I personally see no possibility of Serbia continuing with its European integration," Prorokovic said.

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