Brussels, 07/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - According to Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi, with its acceptance, on Friday 2 December, of the agreement on joint management of border crossing points, Serbia has, in the eyes of the law, recognised the independence of Kosovo. “This agreement is de jure recognition on the part of Serbia of the Republic of Kosovo”, Thaçi said on Tuesday 6 December at a cabinet meeting open to the public. As a result of this agreement, Serbia “has recognised the border with Kosovo”, he added.
On Friday, however, following conclusion of the agreement, the Serbian negotiator, Borko Stefanovic, made it clear that this “is not recognition of Kosovo”. He said, too, that it was not a border agreement in that there will be no state symbols of Kosovo displayed at these “crossing points”.
The spokeswoman for EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton told Agence Europe that joint border management is “a practical solution to a local issue. Dialogue has produced an excellent result in resolving a situation on the ground”. She noted, too, that there are very clear international law procedures for recognising a country. (CG/transl.rt)