Solana-Steiner meeting on Kosovo

Mr. Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, met Mr Michael Steiner, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Kosovo, at a working dinner in Brussels, on 5 November.

Ten days after the municipal elections and at the end of the donor's meeting held on the same day, Javier Solana and Michael Steiner exchanged views on recent developments and on upcoming challenges in Kosovo: economic and social development, decentralisation, organised crime, return of refugees.

Javier Solana expressed once again his full support to Mr Steiner for his relentless efforts in helping all the communities of Kosovo to live and work side by side in peace and security. Thanks to the remarkable determination of the UN Special Representative, decisive progress has been made in overcoming the bitter legacy of the past and to prepare the ground for the Provisional Institutions of Self-government in Kosovo.

But it is above all up to the Kosovo communities to demonstrate a sense of responsibilities. They have to work in a constructive spirit and in strict compliance with the UNRes. 1244 in order to find solutions to the problems faced by all the inhabitants of Kosovo.

The European Union remains determined to help Kosovo in building a multiethnic and democratic society. But it depends on Kosovo itself to seize the opportunity and to build its European future.

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• EU Presidency Statement - Kosovo (6/11/2002)
• EU Presidency declaration - Election in Kosovo (6/3/2002)