Minister Hoxhaj receives support for Kosovo’s European perspective from five EU member states that have not yet recognized its independence

Strasburg, 13 March 2012 – On the first day of his visit to the European Parliament in Strasburg, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo, Enver Hoxhaj, has had several meetings with representatives from the European Parliament and from various European countries.
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Minister Hoxhaj had separate meetings with representatives and MPs from the five EU-member states that have not yet recognized the independence of Kosovo and briefed them on the reforms and the state-building process in the Republic of Kosovo. 

On this occasion, Minister Hoxhaj pointed out that the independence of Kosovo has brought peace, stability and security in the Balkans and in Europe. 

Hoxhaj also added that after the ruling of the International Court of Justice on the legitimacy of the independence of Kosovo, there are no legal grounds for any country to postpone their decisions for its formal recognition. 

“The recognition of Kosovo has a global geography today and strengthening of the international subjectivity of Kosovo is an irreversible process,” said the Foreign Minister of Kosovo. 

On the other hand, representatives of these five states assured Minister Hoxhaj that they will strongly support the European perspective of Kosovo in all the stages of its development. 

They also acknowledged the continuous progress that the Republic of Kosovo has made over the recent years as a factor of peace and stability in the Balkans. 

Minister Hoxhaj also had a meeting with Elmar Brok, head of the Foreign Policy Commission of the European Parliament. 
 
During the meeting, there was discussion on the European perspective of Kosovo, on the reforms taken to meet the EU requirements and on the visa liberalization process and also about the Stabilization and Association Agreement. 

Minister Hoxhaj called on the Foreign Policy Commission of the European Parliament to expedite its support for the aspiration of two million Kosovars for free movement in the Schengen zone and for an immediate launch of the feasibility study as a precondition to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement. 

On his part, Elmar Brok, the head of the Foreign Policy Commission of the European Parliament assured Minister Hoxhaj that this Commission will be a strong voice within the European Parliament in favor of a clear European perspective for Kosovo. 

During the day, Minister Hoxhaj is also going to meet Joseph Daul, head of the Parliamentary Group of the European People’s Party and Hannes Swoboda, the head of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. 

And in the late afternoon, Minister Hoxhaj will address the members of the Pan-European Group that is active within the Parliamentary Group of the People’s Party at the European Parliament.
 

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