Some sort of limited independence for Kosovo is inevitable, as everybody knows that the international community will remain in Kosovo for a long time, Dutch Socialist Jan-Marinus Wiersma said during a debate on the issue in Strasbourg.
Some 20 MEPs took part in the debate, and none of them was explicitly against Kosovo's independence.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said that the final status of Kosovo must include the possibility of the province concluding international agreements on its own.
Regardless of the possible outcome of the final status talks, it must include Kosovo's right to conclude international treaties and Kosovo must be a part of the Stabilisation and Association process, Rehn told the parliament.
Negotiations on Kosovo are expected to be completed until the end of this year or in early 2007.