Until lately, Kosovo had a decade of padding to quarantine itself from the rawness, violence and fear that clasped to the coattails of liberation in 1999, infecting the “provisional government” months that followed, carrying their bacillus of internecine murder – of alleged collaborators and of LDK members -- a good two years into the new decade (even longer in Ramush-land). It’s just been ripped away. 1999 is back. In our faces.
Bildt: Serbia Fully Cooperating With The Hague
Belgrade | 01 July 2009 |
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said Serbia was now fully cooperation with the Hague Tribunal even though two indictees remain on the run.
“I’m among those who think that Serbia is fully cooperating with the Hague Tribunal, but the cooperation has yet to bring ultimate success,“ the Swedish politician told a press conference in Stockholm.
Sweden assumed presidency of the EU today from the outgoing Czech Republic and will now lead the EU's work for six months.
Presenting the Swedish presidency’s priorities in Brussels last week, Bildt stressed the importance of moving relations with the Western Balkans forward.
He added that Sweden would take a pragmatic stand on the Kosovo issue, taking into account the fact that several EU member-states had not recognized the independence of Kosovo.
According to Swedish Migration and Asylum Minister Tobias Billstrom, the biggest, and perhaps only, problem concerning visa liberalization with Serbia is Kosovo.
“We want to liberalize the visa regime with Serbia, but not Kosovo, as a dialogue on visa liberalization is being conducted with Serbia, not Kosovo,” Billstrom said.
“The EU cannot afford to negotiate with one state, and for that then to apply to another state that hasn’t taken part in that process,” he added.
