Swedish MFA: Kosovo can join EU bypassing UNMarch 10, 2008 - 15:31 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Sweden's Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said Sunday that Kosovo may become a European Union member even thought it would not be a member of the United Nations. Bildt based his statement in the Switzerland example, saying "it negotiated the EU membership before becoming a UN member state." Kosovo, which unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in February, can not become a UN member state in the near future because of the strong opposition from Serbia and its ally Russia. Completing a 2-day visit to Pristina, Bildt said he is sure there will not be recognition of Kosovo independence not only from Russia but from some other countries. "I don't expect China to recognize, either," he said. He said that the EU foreign ministers will discuss on Monday in Brussels the Kosovo and regional situation in the Western Balkans, Xinhua news agency report. On March 7, EU Envoy Martti Ahtisaari called on EU member states to recognize independence of Kosovo. Any other decision will destabilize Europe, according to him. The Kosovo parliament proclaimed independence from Serbia on February 17. Kosovo's independence has already been recognized by Sweden, Germany, France, Latvia, Estonia, France, Norway, Finland, Slovenia, UK, Italy, Poland, Australia, Afghanistan, U.S. and Turkey. A number of states, including Russia, are of the opinion that the self-proclaimed republic can be handed a legal status by he UN Security Council only. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |