At yesterday’s External Relations Council in Brussels, the European Commission presented its communication “The Western Balkans on the road to the EU: consolidating stability and raising prosperity”. This Commission communication is a contribution towards the Austrian Presidency’s Western Balkans priority.
"Commissioner Rehn and I have been working together closely on this project for many months. Our aim is to adopt practical measures at the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers and the five Western Balkan countries in Salzburg in March to make the European perspective for the region more tangible."
Today, in her capacity as Council President, the Foreign Minister participated in the discussions of the Balkan Contact Group in London, which focused on the future status of Kosovo. These called for the status negotiations to be concluded with a negotiated solution in 2006.
"Important political decisions are pending in the Balkans in 2006, not least regarding the future status of Kosovo. As EU Presidency we want to create a favourable environment for the resolution of this issue. Specifically in the case of Kosovo, a concrete European perspective will be an important stabilising factor for the whole region. The common goal of moving closer to the EU should facilitate the necessary search for compromises. For this reason I also welcome the explicit reference to this perspective in the Contact Group’s declaration today”, Plassnik declared.
The political situation in Kosovo following the death of President Rugova was also on the Contact Group’s agenda. It was important not to allow the question of a successor to lead to a vacuum in Kosovo at this very crucial time. “I call on all political forces to appoint a new president as quickly as possible and to take a constructive part in the status talks”, Plassnik concluded.
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