British Embassy Message Government: Kosovo to do everything possible to secure support from Committee of Ministers

In Strasbourg today, the deputy foreign ministers of member states are making preparations and drafting the agenda for the collection of foreign ministers this month. It is still not yet known exactly whether Kosovo will enter the agenda despite the optimism that created the overwhelming majority vote for Kosovo membership in the Parliamentary Assembly. France and Germany's bid to take concrete steps towards establishing association as a condition for membership overshadowed this enthusiasm.

The United Kingdom did not directly ask Kosovo to establish association to provide support at the May meeting, but recommends that “do everything” to secure the necessary support.

The British Embassy in Pristina has said the United Kingdom supports Kosovo's membership in the KiE.

The United Kingdom supports Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe and encourages Kosovo to do everything it can to ensure the necessary support for a successful vote on the Committee of Ministers”, the embassy's response to Express.

For this meeting today, Prime Minister Albin Kurti's office went to the ambassadors of the Quinteen countries.

Kurti cited Greek report Dora Bakoyannis, which he said was confirmed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and that “have confirmed that the Republic of Kosovo meets the standards and criteria to be a full member of this organisation”.

Similarly, Prime Minister Kurti said that with the decision to register the Decani Monastery and the letter sent by the three leaders of the country ʹ where they pledge to establish the Association Atje “Kosovo has met all criteria for membership, so every other requirement is in disassembled with the 16 April Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe vote itself, based on the measure of 82% (131 against 29)<1>.

In response to France and Germany's bid, Kurti has told them that normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia takes place in Brussels, not Strasbourg.

The Council of Europe membership process is a matter of respect for human rights, democracy and rule of law -- values that the Republic of Kosovo embraces. These two processes shouldn't get involved because they don't help each other. If these are mixed up, this would do irreparable damage on one side of the dialogue in Brussels and on the other side of the Council of Europe as the institution of preservation and promotion of democracy and human rights”.

Despite Kosovo's request to take concrete steps for Association, Prime Minister Kurti reiterated his stance that “enten 7 of the Basic Agreement cannot be drawn from the package of the Brussels and Anex Agreement in Ohrid and should not be set as a priority and centre”.