Resignation at Slovenian EU presidency over Kosovo

Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel on Tuesday accepted the resignation of his ministry’s political director, Mitja Drobnic, after the media revealed his notes, testifying about the US’ pressure on Slovenia and the EU aimed at accelerating the independence of Kosovo.

(KosovoCompromise Staff) Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Drobnic's resignation is a direct result of the affair that broke out after the Ljubljana daily Dnevnik published details from notes taken during Mitja Drobnic's conversation with top US administration representatives, in which, among other things, the US wants Slovenia to be the first to recognize the independence of Kosovo.

The simultaneous publishing of the said notes in Dnevnik and Belgrade daily Politika stirred a wave of reactions in both Slovenia and foreign media.

Austrian news agency APA described the entire matter an embarrassment, strongly criticizing the Slovenian diplomacy and its tenure of the EU rotating presidency.

According to the agency, Slovenian politicians thoughtless statements put the European Commission in an awkward position, while the Kosovo issue, which Slovenia has set as a priority goal, remains unresolved.

In the document, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary Rosemary DiCarlo explained how she had advised the Albanians to call a session of the Kosovo Parliament, during which they would declare independence for a Sunday, because "the Russian Federation would not have enough time to call a Security Council meeting."

During the meeting, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried expressed his opinion that six EU member states would not recognize Kosovo at first, but if at least 15 out of 27 EU member states did it, it would be more than enough.

Fried explained that Slovenia's leadership would be of key importance in the role of the EU Presidency, adding that the US avoided making any statements in regards to Kosovo's independence, but that it would be among the first countries to recognize Kosovo when the Kosovo authorities announced independence after the Serbian presidential election.

Fried also said that that the US was also trying to have as many states outside the EU recognize Kosovo during the initial several days after the declaration, and that it was lobbying hard in Japan, Turkey and in Arab states that had expressed, as he put it, readiness to recognize Kosovo.