Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-09-06-Speech-3-015"
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"en.20060906.4.3-015"2
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".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the European Union is well aware that the status process for Kosovo is a major challenge for the international community. A positive, lasting solution is in the European Union’s own interests. The status process for Kosovo is led by UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari. The EU is fully involved in the work via its special representative. Likewise, the Union, and the Finnish Presidency in particular, are in regular direct contact with Special Envoy Ahtisaari, who recently gave an account of the situation at the meeting of the EU’s General Affairs and External Relations Council on 17 July.
The UN Special Envoy is still trying to persuade both Belgrade and Pristina to take an active part in negotiations on key themes, such as decentralisation of government, religious and cultural heritage, economic issues and the rights of minorities. Direct discussions and consultations with experts are continuing. The parties continue to hold different views, but the process has been useful inasmuch as it has clarified positions and has helped to explore common ground for a future solution.
The European Union fully supports these objectives. It has a leading role in matters relating to economic aspects of the process via its representative and the Commission. The EU is pleased with the decision by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to move on to political discussions on Kosovo’s status and urge both parties to take part in a new round of talks in a constructive way.
The European Union fully supports the combined efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s special representative for Kosovo and Kosovo’s temporary self-governing bodies to implement standards. There is also a need to prepare for a progressive move from the reform process according to these standards to one that is consistent with European integration.
Following status determination, the Union’s involvement in Kosovo will cover three areas. These are the Union’s participation in any future civil presence, any possible civil crisis management operation concerning the rule of law, especially with regard to the police and the judicial system, and an EU presence with the purpose of lending support to Kosovo’s European perspective. Preparations are under way in all three areas. An EU Planning Team has been established by an EU Joint Action and has already been sent to Kosovo to prepare for a possible civil crisis management operation relating to the aspect of the rule of law which I have referred to.
The Union’s future role in Kosovo is being planned in conjunction with the European Commission. In this way we will use all the means at our disposal to try and ensure that there is consistency in the way the European Union acts.
A future international presence in Kosovo will not take the form of a European Union Mission in Kosovo (EUMIK). After a solution has been found and when the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) has been gradually disbanded, Kosovo’s own institutions should themselves be responsible for dealing with their affairs. Kosovo itself should assume local ownership and take responsibility. International action should help Kosovo’s own institutions to take full responsibility for Kosovo’s affairs.
The European Union is very centrally involved in the implementation of a solution to Kosovo’s status. It will be part of a future international presence and involved in any civil crisis management operation, and it will support efforts to strengthen stability and socio-economic development in Kosovo. The EU’s future role there will also of course require a considerable amount of financing. The Union is presently looking into ways of guaranteeing its involvement, as appropriate.
It is the common objective of the EU and Kosovo to ensure that Kosovo becomes a dependable partner, developing closer relations with the European Union together with our other neighbouring regions. A key factor here will be the establishment of a democratic, multinational Kosovo, with a good basis for economic development and greater integration."@en1
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