EC says Kosovo is heading for EU

14/09/2008

PRISTINA, Kosovo -- Kosovo is close to starting an EU stabilisation and association process, European Commission (EC) Director for the Western Balkans Pierre Mirel said on Friday (September 12th) after meeting Kosovar President Fatmir Sejdiu. "Even though Kosovo has still not signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), the country is part of that process," he said, adding that discussions on Kosovo will begin at the EC within two or three months. He cautioned, though, that Kosovo will need to fulfil a number of obligations and to ensure "good neighbourly relations".

Sejdiu, meanwhile, pledged that Kosovo would work towards signing the SAA. He urged the EC to try and help Kosovo secure recognition from those EU members that have not extended it yet.

Also on Friday, Serbian Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic and UNMIK chief Lamberto Zannier met in Belgrade to continue technical negotiations on the judiciary, the police, expropriated Serb property in Kosovo, and the issue of kidnapped and missing persons. The two also discussed the problem of humanitarian aid transport, including the distribution of medicine in Kosovo. They agreed to continue talks at technical level. (Beta, B92, Kohavision, Telegrafi, Tanjug - 13/09/08, FoNet, Beta, Tanjug, Kosovapress, Kohavision, Telegrafi - 12/09/08)