The United States said Friday that it is time to resolve
Kosovo's final status in keeping with U.N. Resolution 1244.
"We believe that, in keeping with U.N. Resolution 1244, it's
time to resolve Kosovo's final status," State Department deputy
spokesman Tom Casey said.
"That, for us and for the broad cross-section of the
international community, means proceeding with implementation of
the Ahtisaari plan. And that's we'll be working for in the coming
days and weeks," Casey said.
Casey was referring to the plan put forward by U.N. special
envoy Martti Ahtisaari concerning the future of Kosovo.
According to a report by the New York Times on Friday,
the United States and Germany have agreed to recognize Kosovo, a
Serbian province that has been under U.N. administration since
1999, after it declares independence and to urge the rest of Europe
to follow suit.
In a recent conversation about Kosovo, U.S. President George W.
Bush and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed to recognize Kosovo
to stabilize the western Balkans, the report said, citing European
officials.
However, the government of Serbia and Russia have vehemently
opposed independence for Kosovo.?
(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2008)
