LUXEMBOURG, April 26 (Hina) - European Union foreign ministers met in Luxembourg on Monday, commending the preparations made so far for the takeover of the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina from NATO at the beginning of next
year.
LUXEMBOURG, April 26 (Hina) - European Union foreign ministers met in
Luxembourg on Monday, commending the preparations made so far for the
takeover of the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina from NATO
at the beginning of next year.#L#
The Council asked the Presidency and the High Representative for the
Common Foreign and Security Policy to continue and complete the
strategic planning before a NATO summit in Istanbul, due to take place
in June, which would make it possible for operative planning to
proceed in accordance with EU decisions.
The ministers also welcomed the way in which the first round of
presidential elections had been held in Macedonia, saying that a large
voter turnout in the second round scheduled for April 28 would further
strengthen the democratic process.
The Council once again called on all political leaders in Kosovo,
particularly those of Kosovo Albanians, to cooperate closely with the
UN Mission and the NATO-led peacekeeping force in order guarantee the
physical security and full protection of the rights of members of all
communities in Kosovo.
The Council reaffirmed its commitment to a safe, democratic,
multiethnic and prosperous Kosovo, the ministers said in their
conclusions on the Western Balkans, reiterating their assessment that
the recent violence represented a setback to Kosovo and threatened the
progress made over the past few years.
(Hina) vm