Brussels, 14/12/2007 (Agence Europe) - Current European Council President and Prime Minister of Portugal José Socrates announced after the European Council on Friday 14 December that agreement in principle had been reached by the 27 EU members on sending a civilian ESDP police and rule of law mission to Kosovo. The legal basis (Was Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council sufficient?) and the operational arrangements for the mission have not yet been agreed but the European Council decided on Friday to “accelerate” the preparatory work on these sensitive issues. Socrates said that the Summit had sent the expected “strong message”. “The agreement on the ESDP mission is the clearest signal that the European Union intends to be a driving force in the future of Kosovo and its status and that it is ready to assume its responsibilities to help bring peace and stability to the region” of the Balkans, he said.
However, there is still no consensus within the EU on the recognition of a future independent Kosovo. Several member states - Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Malta, Slovakia and Romania - are very reticent about recognising a future declaration of independence by the Serbian province, without the agreement of Belgrade and the green light from the UN Security Council. At any rate, note diplomats, even though political unity within the EU on recognition is desirable, it is not essential from a legal point of view, given that it will be up to each member state individually to recognise or not an independent Kosovo.
In its written conclusions, the European Council stressed the “determination” of the EU to play a “leading role” in strengthening stability in the Western Balkans region, and in the implementation of an agreement defining the future status of Kosovo. “The EU is ready to assist Kosovo on the path towards sustainable stability, including by intensifying its preparations for an ESDP mission and for a contribution to an international civilian office as part of the international presence,” leaders say in their conclusions. The EU is also ready to support economic and political development in Kosovo by giving it clear prospects for joining Europe, the conclusions say.
Because of differences on recognition, the conclusions of the European Council are not very explicit on the future status of Kosovo. The 27 restrict themselves to noting that the status quo in Kosovo was “unsustainable”, that all options for finding a negotiated solution had been exhausted and that the Kosovo that would emerge from the future regulation (probably independence under the control of the international community: Ed.) should be “democratic, multi-ethnic, attached to the rule of law and the protection of minorities and the cultural and religious heritage”.
Generally speaking, the Summit also reaffirmed that the future of the Western Balkans lies with the EU. As far as Serbia is concerned in particular, the EU27 stressed how important it was for the stability of the whole region that a “stable and prosperous Serbia be fully integrated into the family of European nations”. European leaders encouraged Serbia to meet the last condition necessary for signing to take place (full cooperation with the ICTY). They also expressed confidence that, given the country's major institutional capacities, the progression of Serbia towards the EU “including candidate status, can be accelerated”. (H.B.)