Kouchner urges Kosovo Albanians to show spirit of compromise
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has called on the Kosovo Albanians to demonstrate a "spirit of compromise" during the discussions with the Serbian delegation and the Contact Group's international mediating Troika.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Monday, October 22, 2007
After discussions with Pristina's negotiating team in Paris, Kouchner also indicated that some countries would oppose Pristina's intention to unilaterally declare independence if a compromise is not found by December 10.
"France is calling for a spirit of compromise. Come, let's find a common position," Kouchner said at a joint press conference with Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu, who led the Pristina delegation.
Kosovo Albanians ruled out extending negotiations over the future of the breakaway province past a December 10 deadline for the Troika report.
"We consider that December 10 will mark the end of this negotiation process," Sejdiu said. "We consider that it ends there. For us it is very important to proceed as quickly as possible."
But Sejdiu declined to say whether the province would unilaterally declare independence if there is no agreement.
"We are working to ensure that this process is concluded by December 10 and we will wait on this normal process of consultation to take a decision later," he said, when asked when he expected Kosovo to declare independence.
"It is my duty to tell you that the whole world does not agree with that, and that some countries, which are not in the majority (in the EU) and have good reasons to think the independence of Kosovo would cause problems at home, will be opposed to it," Kouchner stressed.
