EU starts worrying about Eulex
The EU has started worrying about the deployment of Eulex -- its problems with Serbian opposition and its lack of international legality and legitimacy.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Tuesday, March 11, 2008
"The situation is still versatile, particularly north of the river Ibar, in northern Kosovo", the chairman of the EU Council of Ministers Dimitrij Rupel told a press conference at the end of the Council of ministers in Brussels.
Rupel said Unmik should take control of what he called a « border » between Serbia and Kosovo.
"There have been attacks on this border, the burning of containers and this is why Unmik must play a very important role", Rupel said.
The Slovenian foreign ministers admitted the planned transition between Unmik and Eulex would last longer and would require more efforts.
EU foreign affairs chief Javier Solana said his cabinet was in daily contact with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon over the issue.
The foreign minister of Luxemburg Jean Asselborn said the EU wish remained to see Unmik leave Kosovo and be replaced by Eulex starting on June 14 - as was planned by the Ahtisaari plan which the EU is applying unilaterally after its rejection in the UN Security Council.
Foreign ministers, as well as the EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, also urged Serbia to turn away from its Kosovo's history and look into European future.
Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said the best response of the citizens of Serbia to the EU ministers' position would be to confirm at the upcoming elections the policy that Serbia "will continue its European integrations with Kosovo as its integral part."
"In such a case, a new government would have full legitimacy to start talks with the EU in such a way that Serbia with its province of Kosovo will continue the accession process," Kostunica said.
According to Kostunica, the new government should receive clear support in the upcoming elections that Serbia, within its recognized borders, must be a partner of the EU.
"It is not a policy of self-isolation, but rather a responsible statehood policy and the only one with a future. We must respect ourselves and Serbia must respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity so that the EU can have esteem for us," Kostunica stressed.
The State Secretary in the German ministry for Foreign Affairs Gernot Erler said, however, that it was not a "realistic option" to see Serbia integrate the EU if it insists that Kosovo is its integral part.
