Greek, Slovak, Spanish officials oppose unilateral declaration of independence
Greek, Slovak and Spanish officials said Monday that they opposed a unilateral declaration of Kosovo’s independence, adding that a compromise solution was the best way to resolve the status issue.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis highlighted that with great reserve Greece was watching for potential unilateral moves in the matter of Kosovo, as that would lead to regional instability.
"We believe that diplomatic options for resolving the status of Kosovo have not been exhausted yet," Bakoyannis said after a meeting with her Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic.
Jeremic pointed out that Serbia would never accept a unilateral resolution of Kosovo's status, which would endanger Serbia's territorial integrity and sovereignty. According to him, Serbia is ready to continue negotiating the future status of Kosovo and finding a solution that would ensure peace and stability in the region.
The new president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Spanish diplomat Luis Maria de Puig, said that he advocated a peaceful solution for Kosovo in accordance with international law and acceptable for both sides.
He also stressed that the Council of Europe "cannot take sides in conflicts." He added that the institution wanted to have good relations and ties with both sides, and said he believed the Parliamentary Assembly MPs would make "a wise decision" on the draft resolution by rapporteur Lord Russell-Johnston, which will is being reviewed by the MPs on Tuesday.
The new draft resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly calls on the UN security Council to overcome differences and impose a solution for Kosovo, because the possibilities of compromise have been exhausted and an unresolved status issue fuels instability in the entire region.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said his government was against a unilateral proclamation of Kosovo's independence, without a decision by the international organizations assigned to solve this problem.
"A unilateral decision on independence is not enough for the Slovak government to recognize such a state," Fico said.
