Fears of a return to the ethnic strife of the 1990s waged by the former Serbian leader should be taken seriously, but is more likely if European countries repeat their disunity over recognition of the new state, it is claimed.
Richard Howitt MEP, British Labour Foreign Affairs Spokesperson in the European Parliament was speaking as he takes part today (Friday 15 February) in last minute high level talks in the region with representatives of Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci as well as with Serbs from the territory and from neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Labour's Richard Howitt MEP speaking from Llubijana stated:
"Kosovo and Serbia belong as equal partners in a future European Union, and not as a majority prevented from inflicting violence on a minority population only by the presence of international troops.
"Slobodan Milosevic died in The Hague, and it is time too for the ethnic hatred he engendered to be finally put to rest.
"I hope Kosovo´s independence will be the same turning point in the history of former Yugoslavia that the fall of the Berlin wall was for Eastern Europe."
Calling on European Foreign Ministers meeting on Monday (18 February) to agree a formula which would accelerate recognition by a large number of EU members for the newly independent state, Richard Howitt MEP added:
"Germany's unilateral recognition in 1991 of Slovenia and Croatia was the tinderbox that sparked the Balkans wars of the 1990s. Europe must stay together now to keep the peace in Kosovo."
Responding to Serbian claims backed by Russia that the independence declaration accompanied by the 2,000-strong European police mission to help enforce it are both illegal under the existing United Nations resolution for Kosovo, Richard Howitt MEP commented:
"Britain is in very good company in saying that the existing UN resolution does provide an adequate legal basis, and I do not think it is for Vladimir Putin to lecture us on international law.
"The people of the Balkans have suffered enough, without becoming victims of a new race for influence between Russia and the European Union."
ENDS
Editors Note:
Richard Howitt MEP is available for interview from the region on Friday 15th February and will be available for comment throughout the weekend 16/17th February.
For more information or to arrange an interview with Richard Howitt MEP please contact Brian Dawson in Richard Howitt MEP's office on +32 495360928 (Belgian mobile) or +32 2845477 (office) or Richard Howitt MEP directly on +44 7768122888 (UK mobile).
