The European special envoy for Kosovo has dismissed suggestions that the European Union favours partitioning the province, saying the idea had not been discussed and was not a realistic option.
Wolfgang Ischinger was attempting to scotch speculation that the EU was promoting the division of Kosovo between its ethnic Albanian majority and a northern Serb enclave. He had triggered the speculation a fortnight ago when he said all options were on the table, but insisted he had been misinterpreted.
”Partition … has not been raised by either party in the discussions I’ve heard so far, so it’s really a non-issue,” Ischinger, who is also German ambassador to Britain, told the Guardian newspaper. He also pointed out that partition ran counter to the principles set down by the countries seeking a peaceful solution — the United States, Russia, Britain, Germany, France and Italy.
”We are not interested in propaganda proposals,” he said. ”If there is going to be success, it will be their success. If there is going to be failure … it will be their failure, not ours.”
With little more than 100 days to go until a United Nations deadline for a negotiated solution on the disputed Serbian province, there are no signs of compromise. Kosovan leaders are vowing to declare independence when the deadline passes on December 10. Kosovo’s Serbs, who have Belgrade’s support, say they will resist a unilateral declaration of independence, and have warned of a new war in the region.
The US has signalled it would recognise an independent Kosovo, which is opposed by Russia, while Europe is at risk of a split on the issue.
Ischinger said it was his job to maintain European unity. ”I’m sure we can stay together if we have a negotiated solution. But we need one European position in case of failure,” he said.
A report this week by the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank, warned that talks could fail and that the EU should begin planning to oversee Kosovo’s transition to independence. ”To avoid chaos on its doorstep, the EU must now accept responsibility for bringing Kosovo to supervised independence,” it said. — Guardian Unlimited Â