WRITTEN QUESTION E-1947/99 by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Council. Kosovo.
Date: 1999-11-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Kosovo, international affairs, political geography, transport network

1.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 219 E/51

(2000/C 219 E/059)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1947/99

by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Council

(4 November 1999)

Subject: Kosovo

An increasing number of voices are coming out in favour of independence for Kosovo, particularly, but
not only, including those of well-known US politicians. At the same time, in Europe we are seeing, on the
one hand, a (cid:145)legalistic(cid:146) offensive reaffirming the concept of the territorial integrity of Yugoslavia and, on
the other, policy being implemented on the ground in a way which is obliged to take account of the new
reality of the situation in Kosovo.

Does the Council agree that this ambivalent approach on the part of Europe risks ultimately undermining
the issue of determining the final status of Kosovo?

Does the Council agree that the Union should swiftly put forward a political approach to resolving the
issue of the final status of Kosovo? Does it agree that such an approach should differ both from the
ambivalent positions seen, with the risks which these pose in the medium term, and from positions
favouring independence, which would only further increase the fragmentation of
the Balkans, by
proposing right now the reunification of Kosovo and Albania?

Irrespective of the adoption of such an approach, is the Council ready to allocate a substantial part of the
resources under the reconstruction programme to building new communication routes and improving
existing routes between Albania and Kosovo?

Reply

(31 January 2000)

EU policy on Kosovo is firmly based on the full implementation of UNSCR 1244 in all its parts and by all
parties involved. Therefore, the Council does not see the EU(cid:146)s approach as being ambivalent. Rumours
about the (cid:145)inevitability of independence for Kosovo(cid:146) are counter-productive and are firmly rejected by the
Council, which continues to uphold the principle of the territorial integrity of the FRY.

Just recently, all participants in the Stability Pact in which the EU plays a leading role solemnly reaffirmed
their commitment inter alia to all the principles and norms enshrined in the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final
Act, the Charter of Paris and the 1990 Copenhagen document.

The Council would like to inform the Honourable Member that the question of building new communica-
tion routes in South Eastern Europe is also on the agenda of the Stability Pact(cid:146)s Working Table on
economic reconstruction, development and cooperation. At the inaugural meeting of that Working Table
in Bari on 9 October, several countries of the region and the EIB have tabled infrastructure projects, the
feasibility and financing of which are currently being assessed.

(2000/C 219 E/060)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1954/99

by Gerhard Hager (NI) to the Council

(9 November 1999)

Subject: Kosovo (cid:129) Agenda 2000

As part of the reconstruction effort in Kosovo, the EU has provided financial assistance running into
billions. The same is true for the reconstruction following the devastating earthquake in Turkey. These
measures were decided on after the adoption of Agenda 2000.