GERMANY: Russia and the US clash over Kosovo and U.S. missile shield plans at G8 foreign ministers meeting

Record ID: 861892

  • Title: GERMANY: Russia and the US clash over Kosovo and U.S. missile shield plans at G8 foreign ministers meeting
  • Date: 31st May 2007
  • Summary: (BN12) POTSDAM, GERMANY (MAY 30, 2007)(REUTERS) ARRIVAL OF GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE AND BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY MARGARET BECKETT AT NEWS CONFERENCE BECKETT, PAKISTANI FOREIGN MINISTER KHURSHEED MEHMOOD KASURI AND RICE STEINMEIER TAKES HIS SEAT JOURNALISTS RICE AND COLLEAGUES PANEL
  • Embargoed: 15th June 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • City:
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics:
  • Reuters ID: LVA8ABZLIAE5NB7RWFCF6RJJX945
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Russia and the United States clashed over Kosovo on Wednesday (May 30), souring a meeting aimed at preparing the ground for next week's Group of Eight summit on the Baltic coast.
    Serbia, backed by Russia, opposes a plan proposed by U.N. mediator Martti Ahtisaari offering the Albanian majority province independence under international supervision.
    "Should the question of status be decided in the near future, then from an actual independence for Kosovo, we could slowly move towards a legal independence, and then in this situation, political discussions with Serbia are necessary," the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters after the meeting of the G8 foreign ministers, of whom Germany is presently president.
    "Serbia is without a doubt in a difficult situation. Serbia has just had elections, Serbia has achieved a government, and this government has expressed its interest in Europe, and cooperation with the International Tribunal is part of the government programme and by that I mean that a point in time has been reached in which we should start working on a believable European path for Serbia, and so I am of the opinion that we should take up negotiations on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Serbia again," he went on.
    Western powers have backed a U.N. resolution that would grant Kosovo effective independence.
    G8 president Germany hopes to avoid a showdown between the United States and Russia at the Heiligendamm leaders' summit which will focus on climate change and aid to Africa.
    But differences over Kosovo and U.S. plans to install a missile shield in central Europe were difficult to hide.
    Afghanistan and Pakistan, invited by Germany to the meeting, vowed to deepen cooperation between their governments "at all levels", particularly in the fight against terrorism and repatriating Afghan refugees.
    "What is important is to know and to confirm that in this relation that without cooperation and working together with Pakistan, we cannot conquer the challenge of terrorism. We need more cooperation and coordination to fight together against this threat of the international terror-network al Qaeda-Taliban, which is to be taken seriously internationally," said the Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta.
    The two, who accuse each other of failing to stop a Taliban insurgency, are seeking ways to seal their long, porous border.
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