Italy holds International Conference on Western Balkans, Kosova

ROME, Jan. 16 – Italian Foreign Ministry held in Rome a meeting with European and world personalities to discuss on its role in European perspective for the Western Balkans. Participating personalities at the conference, held at the ministry’s international conference hall, included Italian Vice Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs Massimo D’Alema, The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Carl Biltd, Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, other Commissioners like Benita Ferrero Waldner and other personalities. The view from the Balkans were brought at this Conference by Ivan Vejvoda from Belgrade, and Albert Rakipi from Tirana.
The Western Balkans is facing a delicate and possibly breakthrough, phase towards the solution of some long standing issues, according to a statement. Following the peaceful secession of Montenegro “the international community is now facing the test of sorting out one of the most highly sensitive issues on Serbia’s political agenda – Kosovo,” it said. The solution to each of the aforementioned issues lies in a general perspective comprehensive of the definitive stabilization of South Eastern Europe. Italy tries to play a role of primary importance within the framework of the Contact Group and the EU and NATO. Italy offers to provide a factor of moderation and continuous mediation between the parties concerned by offering the opportunity for in-depth reflection on the various possible scenarios that could unfold in the region,” said the statement. Italy’s role is crucially important not simply because Italy is the EU front line state with our region. Italy, as one of the key EU players, has strategic capacities to play an important role in the Balkans, according to Rakipi.
Italy is a strong supporter of the EU’s enlargement policy and a great advocate of the European perspective for the Western Balkans,” said Rehn. The commissioner said that for Serbia the forthcoming Jan. 21 elections will be a crucial opportunity to take a step forward towards the European future that its citizens deserve. The free trade area (CEFTA) signed from the Western Balkan countries “is a strong signal to potential investors that the region is building an attractive, stable and predictable environment for foreign investments.”
All Balkan countries, but Serbia, have either passed the step or signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement which is considered as a first step toward membership though it sets no time date. “The European Union is considered to be the most important strategic actor in Albania,” according to Albert Rakipi, who urged the EU on “the need for a change in EU approach towards the region. A change in a positive direction would be to see the region not only as a threat but as an opportunity as well.”
Rehn spoke at length on Kosova as well. “Kosovo is also moving towards critical times,” he said. “The EU wants to ensure that the status process succeeds and leads to a sustainable settlement. The status settlement needs to be politically and legally clear and set out a vision for Kosovo’s future development. Kosovo’s status question is sui generis, and sets no precedent. This will give a further impetus for the Kosovo authorities to progress on reforms in the key areas of the rule of law, economy and public administration. We need to guarantee a successful transfer of the responsibility from the UN to an International Civilian Office which will be a guarantor of the status settlement. As final status moves closer, preparations for the EU role in the future international presence are intensifying. The EU’s engagement in Kosovo is likely to include our contribution to the International Civilian Office, including an ESDP operation in the rule of law and an EU presence to implement the Community financial assistance. In Kosovo, working groups are currently preparing for transition in the specific areas of constitution, civil administration, economy and the rule of law. In the Commission’s view, the status should be clearly defined, respect the Contact Group guiding principles and lead to a sustainable, multiethnic and democratic Kosovo. Kosovo should be able to engage in international contractual relations with the International Financial Institutions and to negotiate an SAA with the EU. That’s why the EU will welcome the submission of the UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s proposal after the Serbian elections, and support his efforts. Italy will have an important role to play as a member of the UN Security Council.”
“With the final status of Kosova probably time has come to move from a security agenda to a development one. Only a clear status of Kosova from a legal and practical perspective will help creating a new environment where the potential security problems will be deriving not from the ethnic issues but hopefully from the region’s economic problems,” said Rakipi.