Spain: We Will Block Kosovo's Independence
In the strongest signal yet the Zapatero government is prepared to block Kosovo's independence, Spain's EU Affiars minister was quoted by the EUObserver as stating, 'even conditional independence is unacceptable,' suggesting that the only outcome of the Final Status talks acceptable to the Madrid government is the reintegration of Kosovo into Serbia albeit with substantial autonomy.
Furthermore, in a surprise development at the EU Council of Ministers meeting on Monday, Martti Ahtissari failed to gain expected EU support for an upcoming recommendation that Kosovo should be granted some sort of conditional independence. If the EU had taken a strong position in support of Kosovo's independence on Monday, it was hoped that such a stance would transmit a signal to Belgrade that independence was inevitable. However, instead, Madrid lauched the opening shots in a campaign to keep Kosovo within Serbia by warning other EU member states of the encouragement Kosovo's independence would give to separatist movements within western Europe and elsewhere in the Balkans. At the EU gathering Spain even raised the spectre of Bosnian Serb independence should Kosovo become independent. Spain's statements suggest that Spain is willing to exercise its veto in the Counci of Ministers to first attempt to delay EU recognition of Kosovo's independence for as long as possible, and second should Kosovo become independent, prevent Kosovo from developing closer economic and political ties with the Union.
Furthermore, in a surprise development at the EU Council of Ministers meeting on Monday, Martti Ahtissari failed to gain expected EU support for an upcoming recommendation that Kosovo should be granted some sort of conditional independence. If the EU had taken a strong position in support of Kosovo's independence on Monday, it was hoped that such a stance would transmit a signal to Belgrade that independence was inevitable. However, instead, Madrid lauched the opening shots in a campaign to keep Kosovo within Serbia by warning other EU member states of the encouragement Kosovo's independence would give to separatist movements within western Europe and elsewhere in the Balkans. At the EU gathering Spain even raised the spectre of Bosnian Serb independence should Kosovo become independent. Spain's statements suggest that Spain is willing to exercise its veto in the Counci of Ministers to first attempt to delay EU recognition of Kosovo's independence for as long as possible, and second should Kosovo become independent, prevent Kosovo from developing closer economic and political ties with the Union.