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Germany's Merkel urges unified position on Kosovo

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Berlin, Jan 15, IRNA
Germany-Kosovo-Merkel
German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for Europe's unified stance on the unsettled question over the final status of the breakaway province of Kosovo.

"We want an amicable solution (between Serbs and Kosovars)," the German leader told journalists in a broad-ranging press briefing.

However, if such a settlement between the two sides cannot be reached, then Europe has 'to act jointly and unified', Merkel added.

The chancellor offered a 'closer link-up' between Serbia and the European Union, provided Belgrade was willing to cooperate with The Hague-based UN war crimes tribunal.

Last week, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier met his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic in Berlin.

Talks dwelt on promoting Serbia's rapprochement process with the EU, including opening the way for the Stabilization and Association Agreement.

Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leaders are expected to announce their independence from Serbia in early February.

While most of the 27 EU countries are willing to signal green light for such a plan, the bloc is also interested in helping Serbia save face by speeding up Belgrade's accession process.

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, a nationalist, warned earlier that the EU would have to choose between closer relations with Serbia and backing for an independent Kosovo.

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