KOSOVO STATUS CANNOT REMAIN UNSETTLED
On 14 June during a joint discussion of Lithuanian Foreign Ministry and Lithuanian Seimas “Kosovo Status: Drawing Prospects For The Future” Undersecretary of Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Žygimantas Pavilionis noted that Lithuania is interested first of all in security and stability in Kosovo. “We are interested in stability in Kosovo and the Western Balkans and in long-term political and economic security of Europe,” Undersecretary of the Ministry said and emphasised that Lithuania’s as the European Union and NATO member’s soldiers contribute to ensuring security in Kosovo.
According to Ž. Pavilionis, Lithuania consistently supports the proposals of Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General Martti Ahtisaari presented to the UN Security Council and hopes that the decision on Kosovo status will be reached in the nearest future.
“Current situation cannot continue for long, therefore we should look for decisions, that would help to ensure stability and solve economic and social problems of Kosovo,” Foreign Ministry Undersecretary stated.
According to Ž. Pavilionis, the decision on Kosovo status would be an excellent occasion to remind once again the international community about the unsolved problems of “frozen conflicts” in Georgia and Moldova.
Members of the Seimas, representatives of state institutions, members of NGOs, foreign ambassadors residing in Lithuania, journalists etc. participated in the discussion that took place in the Seimas.
Presentations were made by foreign and Lithuanian experts: Head of Western Balkans Task Force of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union Michael Giffoni, Portuguese Ambassador to Lithuania Antonio Correa, the U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania John Albert Cloud, “The Economist“ reporter on the Western Balkans Tim Judah, Political Affairs Officer of the UN Office of the Special Envoy for Kosovo Dmitry Shlapachenko, Europe Programme Assistant of the International Crisis Group Kristin Holtge, Balkans Co-ordinator and Head of Western Balkans Group of the UK Foreign Office Michael Tatham, Analyst of the Centre for Strategic Studies Justinas Dementavičius and others.
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