Burns: Goal Of Negotiations Is Independent Kosovo

Prishtina, 11 Apr 06 (Beta) – Nicolas Burns, America undersecretary for political issues, stated that the goal of negotiations on Kosovo status is independence.
Radio Television Kosovo (RTK) reports that talking at a ceremony in Washington located at the Center for Strategic Studies, Burns said that most likely by the end of this year, Kosovo will be proclaimed independent. This gathering at the Center for Strategic Studies was attended by ambassadors from a lot of European countries, as well as Henry Kissinger, former US state secretary.
“Our job in Europe is still not done, because the Balkans remains an island in heart of Europe, which is still not connected with the two largest transatlantic institutions; European Union, and NATO,” said Burns.
He expressed the US’s hopes that “once Serbia becomes democratic, just like Croatia, Albania, and Macedonia, as well as independent Kosovo, if this year it is proclaimed as such by UN, which is actually the goal of the ongoing negotiations, then all of these countries should be a part of Europe”.
Burns said that the US believes Europe should make it clear that future of these countries is in the EU.
NATO also needs to give a strong signal, said Burns.