Merkel: Serbia to implement the agreement with Kosovo
19/12/2011 00:00
The Washington Agreement Must Be Reactivated! 06/01 19:04
The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, was welcomed with a state ceremony
at the “Adem Jashari” Airport of Prishtina, while the band played the
hymns of both countries.
“Kosovo must give its own contribution, for the good of their state and the region. As for the situation in Northern Kosovo, I also spoke with the Serbian President, Boris Tadic, and we need to find a way to normalize these relations”, Merkel declared in the joint press conference with the head of the Kosovo government, Hashim Thaci.
The Chancellor underlined that Germany has recognized Kosovo and believes that a multiethnic country will be more effective.
“The development of Kosovo is very important for making a democratic state, where law and order will prevail, and crime and corruption will be fought. It is also important to have the cooperation of all institutions with the EULEX”, the German Chancellor underlined, adding that Kosovo must have no more Serbian parallel structures.
Merkel emphasized that the German stance on Kosovo was made known to Serbia, and they were asked to implement the agreements reached with Kosovo, in order to receive the EU candidate status until this March.
During her visit that lasted several hours, Merkel will meet the KFOR commander, the German Erhard Drews; the head of EULEX, Xavier Bout de Marnhac; and the EU representative, Fernando Gentilini.
The visit of the German Chancellor in Kosovo came a few days after she strongly opposed the EU candidate status for Serbia, due to their policy towards Kosovo. This made the main pages of the newspapers write “Thank you, Germany”.
On the other hand, political analysts say that the visit of the German Chancellor in Kosovo was motivated by the incident that KFOR members experienced today in Northern Kosovo with the Serbian residents in the roadblocks.
The German Chancellor condemned the attack that the Serbian protesters undertook against the KFOR peacekeeping troops on 28 November 2011, by also asking Serbia about the role in this situation.
“Serbia is also accused for contributing in this environment that caused the attack against the German peacekeeper troops in north, leaving some of them wounded. This is unacceptable”, Merkel declared for the German authorities.
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