Brussels, 02/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - At the Council meeting on Thursday 1 December, European foreign ministers condemned the violence in northern Kosovo in which some 20 soldiers of the international security force in Kosovo (KFOR) were wounded. EU High Representative Catherine Ashton stated that the ministers want barriers removed. Ministers, concerned at the violence, expressed very different views, hoping to see movement in the situation on the ground, she said. She acknowledged the efforts being made by Serbian President Boris Tadic, who, on Tuesday, urged Kosovan Serbs to take down their roadblocks, telling them that what they were doing was harming Serbia's accession to the European Union.
Wishing the EU to send Belgrade a positive signal, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé said that France supported Serbia's recognition as a candidate country, “which will then mean that it can be encouraged to continue on the path it has taken”. Germany and Austria, however, were more reticent. “Vienna previously backed the candidacy of Serbia. Now, however, events have taken place that have raised some doubt”, said Austrian minister Michael Spinedelegger. On Friday 2 December, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that she was sorry that Serbia had not lived up to expectations on normalising its relations with Kosovo. “Consequently, the conditions that are needed to grant it candidate status have not so far been met”, she added.
Serbian and Kosovar negotiators met in Brussels, on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss integrated management of border posts, Kosovan participation in regional forums and implementation previously concluded agreements. The European Commission said that “some progress” had been made in the talks. On Thursday, Serbian negotiator Borko Stefanovic stated that the negotiations had been very tough, suggesting that there was “not the same level of desire to find agreement on the Kosovar side”. His Kosovar counterpart, Edita Tahiri, criticised Serbia for not implementing previous agreements. (CG/transl.rt)