EU lawmakers divided over draft Kosovo report

20/02/2007

A draft European Parliament report on Kosovo's future, mentioning the word "independence," is expected to spark a debate among EU lawmakers next month.

(The Guardian, Blic - 20/02/07; EUobserver, European Parliament, AP, Reuters, DPA, Beta, B92 - 19/02/07)

A report drafted by Dutch MEP Joost Lagendijk says that the European Parliament "supports the view that Kosovo should be granted independence and that its sovereignty should, over a period of time, be limited by an international presence". [Getty Images]

The use of the word "independence" in a draft report on Kosovo's future is expected to become a point of contention among members of the European Parliament (EP) next month.

The EP "supports the view that Kosovo should be granted independence and that its sovereignty should, over a period of time, be limited by an international presence," reads the report, drafted by Dutch MEP Joost Lagendijk from the legislature's Group of the Greens.

But according to reports Monday (February 19th), many EU lawmakers are opposed to the EP going a step further than what UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari has prescribed in his proposal for a solution to the Kosovo status issue. Ahtisaari's plan envisions an internationally supervised self-rule for the province, which is still legally part of Serbia. It does not mention the word independence.

Lagendijk's report argues that independence is "the only sustainable settlement" for Kosovo, as it will give it access to international financial institutions and will allow it to move on its path to European integration. At the same time, "limited sovereignty under international monitoring is necessary in order to maintain the multiethnic character of Kosovo and to safeguard the interest and security of the Serb population and of other ethnic minorities," the draft says.

Given the mixed reactions to his report, the Dutch MEP indicated his willingness to reword it, to ensure it receives the support it needs for approval.

The only difference he sees between his report and Ahtisaari's proposal is that the UN envoy "does not call it independence and I do," Lagendijk said.

The EP's foreign affairs committee votes on Lagendijk's report on March 13th. The consultations with Belgrade and Pristina officials on Ahtisaari's proposal begin in Vienna this week -- on Wednesday -- and will last until March 2nd. Eight days later, a high-level meeting will be held in the Austrian capital to finalise the Ahtisaari proposal and submit it to the UN Security Council before the end of March.

The Vienna talks, however, are not expected to produce an agreement between the Serbian and Kosovo Albanian officials, as both have indicated they plan to stick to their positions.

The Kosovo Albanians, who make up 90% of the province's population of 2 million people, are demanding full independence from Serbia. Belgrade staunchly opposes Kosovo independence and openly rejects Ahtisaari's blueprint.

Acknowledging "little probability" for the Vienna talks to lead to a compromise, Ahtisaari's deputy, Albert Rohan, said there is "no real alternative to the UN proposal".

"Serbia is not losing anything with Ahtisaari's plan because Kosovo has not been under Serbian rule since 1999," he was quoted as telling the Austrian newspaper Kurier. "We wish to create conditions in which the people of Kosovo will live safely and normally. If the Kosovo Serbs consider our proposals without prejudice, they will find no reason to reject it."