EU vreest verdeeldheid over Kosovo (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - As Belgrade and Pristina are heading for last resort negotiations on the future of Serbia's breakaway province of Kosovo, the European Union i is set to maintain its fragile unity over the issue, amid clear signs it could become as divisive as Iraq did in 2003.

EU foreign ministers - meeting in Brussels on Monday (23 July) - urged both, Serbs and Kosovars, to play a constructive role in the upcoming 120-day talks, designed to break the deadlock at the UN Security Council.

"We still have a chance to work on the basis of effective and responsible multilateralism. We want to save multilateralism", EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn i said.

The bloc has "lamented" the failure of the UN Security Council last Friday (20 July) to adopt a resolution in the face of Russia's veto threat citing "the principle of [Serbia's] territorial integrity".

"We are not happy about what happened in New York", Portuguese foreign minister Luis Amado said, with Mr Rehn adding he finds it "regrettable".

The issue is to fall into hands of either the six-national contact group - consisting of the US, Russia, the UK, Germany, France and Italy - or of the so-called international troika.

The trio, suggested by Germany's foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier as an "efficient international roof" for tough negotiations, would include a representative from the US, Russia and the EU.

Unilateral independence - worst case scenario

But the main concern centres around what happens if the new round of talks will fail to see a mutual agreement between Belgrade and Pristina and if inpatient Kosovo chooses to act alone.

Last Friday (20 July), Kosovo's leader Agim Ceku suggested unilaterally declaring independence in November, although later played down his comments, underlining Kosovo remains close partners of both the US and the EU in bringing the independence process to a close.

EU diplomats admit that any unilateral move would split the 27-nation bloc just like the US led invasion of Iraq in 2003 did.

"It's one of the most challenging problems the EU has ever encountered and without a doubt one of the most difficult", French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner was cited as saying by AP.

"Had we taken a vote we would have been at an impasse", he added.

According to Portuguese foreign minister Luis Amado, the bloc is "determined to maintain the European unity". However, "we cannot ignore the fact there are different sensitivities", he added.

The EU remains committed to the plan drafted by UN special envoy Marti Ahtisaari, which sets Kosovo on the road to own statehood, with EU commissioner Rehn saying "it is fair, balanced and provides the best solution" for the region.