Saturday, February 16, 2008 (Pristins (Serbia))
Kosovo on Saturday inched closer to its historicdeclaration of independence, with a growing sense of excitement among its people and the European Union launching a police and judicial mission to smoothen the birth of the world's newest state.
The overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian province - still officially a part of Serbia, despite being wrested from Belgrade's control by Western powers nine years ago - is poised to break away on Sunday.
Without giving their sources, several newspapers in Pristina reported on Saturday that the declaration would come around 3:00 pm (IST) on Sunday to the strains of ''Ode to Joy,'' the anthem of the European Union.
Street parties and fireworks would follow, although Prime Minister Hashim Thaci's government - wary of a backlash involving Kosovo's jittery Serb minority - is appealing for independence to begin with ''dignity''.
''Everything is pointing to Sunday,'' a source close to Thaci's government told AFP, as Serbia all but gave up hope of hanging onto the province it regards as the cradle of its culture and Serbian Orthodox religion.
Expections are running high in Pristina that the United States and major European nations such as Britain and France will simultaneously recognise Kosovo's independence from Monday.
In Brussels, the European Union officially launched its so-called rule of law mission to help ease Kosovo's transition to independence - even as the bloc's 27 members were divided on how to recognize the new state.
In the days after independence is declared, the EULEX Kosovo mission will begin a 120-day countdown to taking over policing duties from a United Nations mission, which will up stakes and leave.
''We've had an office there (in Kosovo) for this express purpose since April 2006,'' one EU official said Friday. A ''planning team'' of more than 100 people has also been in place in Pristina for several weeks.
In the streets of Pristina, many shopkeepers on Saturday festooned their windows with the Albanian flag - a black eagle on a red background - sometimes alongside banners boasting 50 per cent off sales.
Colourful posters expressed thanks to the United States, Britain and the European Union for supporting independence, or hailed former US president Bill Clinton for launching the 1999 NATO war against Serbia.
''There's going to be euphoria,'' said Flutra Limani, 24, who waits tables at a trendy Pristina bar. ''Everyone is talking about this.''
Thaci's government has reportedly ordered 80 tonnes of fireworks from Bulgaria for the occasion, while a chic bakery called Fellini's has garnered publicty with a jumbo Kosovo-shaped independence cake.
EU foreign ministers will meet in Brussels on Monday to try to draw up a ''common platform'' in response to Kosovo's expected independence, one which does not include the notion of the bloc as a whole recognising the new state.
EU leaders committed in December to help with a settlement on Kosovo's final status, including economic and political assistance and by offering Kosovo the possibility of EU membership some time in the distant future.
But some countries will refuse, at least in the short term, to recognise the new state, making it extremely difficult for the bloc to make any firm promises regardingmembership.
Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain are among them, while others like Malta and Portugal would prefer that Kosovo's future be decided in the UN Security Council where Russia has effectively vetoed independence.
The overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian province - still officially a part of Serbia, despite being wrested from Belgrade's control by Western powers nine years ago - is poised to break away on Sunday.
Without giving their sources, several newspapers in Pristina reported on Saturday that the declaration would come around 3:00 pm (IST) on Sunday to the strains of ''Ode to Joy,'' the anthem of the European Union.
Street parties and fireworks would follow, although Prime Minister Hashim Thaci's government - wary of a backlash involving Kosovo's jittery Serb minority - is appealing for independence to begin with ''dignity''.
''Everything is pointing to Sunday,'' a source close to Thaci's government told AFP, as Serbia all but gave up hope of hanging onto the province it regards as the cradle of its culture and Serbian Orthodox religion.
Expections are running high in Pristina that the United States and major European nations such as Britain and France will simultaneously recognise Kosovo's independence from Monday.
In Brussels, the European Union officially launched its so-called rule of law mission to help ease Kosovo's transition to independence - even as the bloc's 27 members were divided on how to recognize the new state.
In the days after independence is declared, the EULEX Kosovo mission will begin a 120-day countdown to taking over policing duties from a United Nations mission, which will up stakes and leave.
''We've had an office there (in Kosovo) for this express purpose since April 2006,'' one EU official said Friday. A ''planning team'' of more than 100 people has also been in place in Pristina for several weeks.
In the streets of Pristina, many shopkeepers on Saturday festooned their windows with the Albanian flag - a black eagle on a red background - sometimes alongside banners boasting 50 per cent off sales.
Colourful posters expressed thanks to the United States, Britain and the European Union for supporting independence, or hailed former US president Bill Clinton for launching the 1999 NATO war against Serbia.
''There's going to be euphoria,'' said Flutra Limani, 24, who waits tables at a trendy Pristina bar. ''Everyone is talking about this.''
Thaci's government has reportedly ordered 80 tonnes of fireworks from Bulgaria for the occasion, while a chic bakery called Fellini's has garnered publicty with a jumbo Kosovo-shaped independence cake.
EU foreign ministers will meet in Brussels on Monday to try to draw up a ''common platform'' in response to Kosovo's expected independence, one which does not include the notion of the bloc as a whole recognising the new state.
EU leaders committed in December to help with a settlement on Kosovo's final status, including economic and political assistance and by offering Kosovo the possibility of EU membership some time in the distant future.
But some countries will refuse, at least in the short term, to recognise the new state, making it extremely difficult for the bloc to make any firm promises regardingmembership.
Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain are among them, while others like Malta and Portugal would prefer that Kosovo's future be decided in the UN Security Council where Russia has effectively vetoed independence.
关键字:英语国际新闻
生词表:
- judicial [dʒu:´diʃəl]
a.法庭(官)的，审判的 四级词汇 - officially [ə´fiʃəli] ad.以职员身份；正式 四级词汇
- anthem [´ænθəm] n.圣歌；赞歌 六级词汇
- fireworks [´faiəwə:ks] n.爆竹，焰火 六级词汇
- orthodox [´ɔ:θədɔks] a.正统的；正统的；习惯的 六级词汇
- simultaneously [,siməl´teinjəsli] ad.同时，一起 四级词汇
- brussels [´brʌslz] n.布鲁塞尔 四级词汇
- transition [træn´ziʃən, -´si-] n.转变；过渡 四级词汇
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 六级词汇
- status [´steitəs] n.身份；情形；状况 四级词汇
- effectively [i´fektivli] ad.有效地 六级词汇
京公网安备 11011202003401号
