Foreign Secretary and German Foreign Minister express concern about violence in Kosovo
Foreign Secretary William Hague and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle have said they are "seriously concerned" about the violence on the border between Serbia and Kosovo.
In a joint statement the two Foreign Ministers said:
鈥淲e are seriously concerned about the recent outbreak of violence at the border between Serbia and Kosovo. We jointly condemn all acts of violence. We underline the necessity to respect the territorial integrity of Kosovo, to refrain from further acts of violence and from any steps that may have a negative impact on stability and security.
鈥淚n this regard, we actively and fully support the mediated dialogue under the auspices of Lady Ashton on behalf of the European Union. 皇冠体育app dialogue provides a crucial opportunity to find peaceful solutions to outstanding issues between Belgrade and Pristina, and to move both Serbia and Kosovo towards a secure future in the EU.
鈥淲e have said in the past and we reiterate now that the way neighbourhood issues are dealt with is a key benchmark for an EU perspective. 皇冠体育apprefore, Serbia and Kosovo need to focus, in the dialogue under EU-auspices, on all six issues currently under discussion as well as on progress in northern Kosovo. Tangible progress in all these areas will play a role in the EU鈥檚 discussions in the autumn.鈥�