Kosovo was again at the forefront of talks as Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel met US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the State Department in Washington on Monday. Rupel said they shared concern over the situation in the Western Balkans, and were keen to see progress as soon as possible.
"We talked about practical matters...not so much about the EU-US summit than the Western Balkans and a little also about the Middle East," Rupel said after the talks.
The pair called for decisive and prompt action to avoid deterioration of the situation or problems on the border between Kosovo and Serbia.
"We want security, operative Kosovo institutions, a successful operation of the EU mission, we would like things to move forward as soon as possible," Rupel said.
Asked whether the resolution of the problems concerning Kosovo could be expected by the end of the Slovenian spell at the helm of the EU at the end of June, Rupel said it was necessary to be realistic.
"We are not going to solve all the problems," Rupel said, but added that the deployment of the EU police and justice mission and the takeover by the Kosovo authorities from the UN mission "must be resolved in accordance with the dates and the constitution".
Rupel noted that a new Kosovo constitution would become effective in mid-June. The Kosovo parliament endorsed the constitution on 9 April, thus paving the way for the Kosovo authorities to assume control over their own state.
The EULEX mission will meanwhile control the operation of the Kosovo institutions, and it will also have the right to veto.
"I told the state secretary that I have a few meetings planned over the next few days, while she will help in persuading certain friends of ours to change their positions and to help move things forward," Rupel said, referring to the association and stabilisation agreement between the EU and Serbia.
"This is not a US matter, but a good word put in from the other side of the ocean can help," Rupel said, in reference to Serbia's progress towards the EU, which some members of the bloc have been linking to the country's cooperation with the UN ware crimes tribunal in The Hague.
Kosovo also dominated talks as Rupel met National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley in the White House on Monday as well as his meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in new York on Saturday.
The meeting with Rice wrapped up Rupel's visit to the US.
More articles from this issue:
Archive
|