Fuele: EU is status-neutral

European Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele said that the European Commission is status-neutral on the issue of Kosovo.

He said that the EC believes that a “European perspective exists for both Serbia and Kosovo”.

“Cooperation in the region and relations between Serbia and Kosovo are very important. Regional cooperation is a key part of the Stabilization and Association Process (SAP) and should be inclusive, representative and effective,” he told the Euractiv website.

Fuele reminded of the fact that Serbia submitted its application for EU candidate status at the end of last year and the EC is waiting for the go-ahead from the European Council to look into the request.

“In the meantime, we are working hard with the Kosovo authorities in three specific areas to promote their European aspirations, because from the Commission’s perspective it is very important that none of these countries are left in the cold,” Fuele said.

He also said that he believes that the recent regional conference held in Slovenia was a success.

“For the first time the leaders of the countries pledged their commitment to help each other in fulfilling their European aspirations,” he said.

Fuele said that the solving of the border dispute between Slovenia and Croatia is an example that shows that all problems can be solved when the will to do so exists.

Speaking on the Bosnia-Herzegovina situation, Fuele said that the “separation of Czechoslovakia is certainly not a good example” adding that “the international community and the European Council have stressed the territorial integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the need for unity”.

“It is very important to move the country from a post-Dayton to a pro-European era and I hope that the elections due in October can be a step towards this,” Fuele concluded.