Portugal, Macedonia, Montenegro under huge pressure to recognize Kosovo
Portugal, Macedonia and Montenegro are under huge pressure to recognize Kosovo’s secession, officials from these countries have said
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Friday, October 03, 2008
Portuguese officials have told KosovoCompromise.com they could not longer prolong their opposition to recognition, as pressure has increased following a recent visit by US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.
Reacting to these news in Brussels, Russian ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizov said he was "surprised" and "disappointed", and argued the move would be "a mistake".
Also in Brussels on Thursday, Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski said Skopje would present its official stand on recognition of Kosovo in the "next few days".
Crvenkovski said he believed that the period for the analysis and building of the position towards the independence of Kosovo had expired and that he expected the Macedonian government, which was competent for this issue, to announce its stand on Kosovo's independence very soon.
Rehn welcomed Skopje's constructive approach regarding Kosovo and EU efforts for stability and progress of the West Balkans.
In Podgorica, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband voiced hope that Montenegro will recognize Kosovo after the Thursday debate in its parliament.
In an article for the Thursday edition of the Podgorica-based daily Vijesti, Miliband admitted that positions on Kosovo varied both within the EU and in the wider international community, and therefore in Montenegro as well.
"My opinion is that Kosovo recognition is the key to the strengthening of regional stability," Miliband pointed out.
Also in Podgorica, Serb Orthodox Church (SPC) Metropolitan of Montenegro Amfilohije told Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic and Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic that their country had always been strongly liked to Kosovo and that a recognition of its unilateral independence would set a mark of disgrace on its history.
The metropolitan said, on the occasion of the "forced imposition of Kosovo independence and the government's resolution on the necessity to accelerate Montenegro's European integration," that he felt the need to draw the attention of Vujanovic and Djukanovic to the fact that Montenegro had been organically tied to the region of Kosovo and Metohija for as long as it can remember.
