Sarkozy fails to convince Putin on Kosovo but sees common ground
French President Nicolas Sarkozy failed to change the views of Russian President Vladimir Putin on Kosovo during his two-day visit to Moscow, but said there was a possibility to bring “views closer” on the status of the Serbian province.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Thursday, October 11, 2007
"I found a desire in Putin to not close the door to a solution that could allow humiliation to be avoided", Sarkozy said.
"We saw a path which could eventually allow us to bring our views together", the French president added.
Sarkozy had sought changes in the Russian firm opposition to a secession of Kosovo from Serbia, but his arguments were rejected by the Kremlin.
He also appealed on the European countries to remain united, since Kosovo" is foremost a European issue."
However, he said that it was important "that the discussion remains open with our Russian friends."
It was after his first meeting with Putin, at the G8 summit in Germany in June, that Sarkozy announced the end of the "Ahtisaari process" and the perspective of the troika talks, currently under way.
