Czechs to recognise Kosovo sooner or later
The Czech Republic will sooner or later recognise Kosovo’s independence, but this will not happen before Easter, Czech Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra told journalists. Vondra declined to give the specific date.
“I will not disclose the date. Now we have a sort of Christmas fast for major political decisions. I think you will learn more after Easter,” Vondra said, adding that the Czech Republic was realistic when it comes to Kosovo’s recognition.
Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on February 17.
It has been recognised by 16 EU members as well as the USA, while Spain, Cyprus, Greece, Russia, China and Slovakia are opposed to the idea as they face problems with ethnic minorities.
The divisive issue has brought about a recent fall of the Serbian governing coalition. There will be early elections in Serbia on May 11.
Vondra told journalists changes in the Cuban leadership, from which Fidel Castro recently stepped down, required a measured reaction by the EU.
“I would not spend all the ammunition at the very beginning,” Vondra said in reaction to the statement by Louis Michel, European Commissioner for development and humanitarian aid, that the EU should lift its sanctions on Cuba.
The EU should continually modify its policies towards Havana and if the EU takes some obliging step, it should wait on how Cuba will react to it, Vondra said.
The EU imposed diplomatic sanctions on Cuba after the Cuban authorities sentenced about 70 dissidents to long prison terms in 2003.
(Czech News Agency)
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