PanARMENIAN.Net

Independence of Kosovo can’t be taken hostage to Cyprus problem
26.01.2008 15:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ New Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim
Thaci said the independence of Kosovo will come within
days, while refusing to give an exact date. The former
political leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army
expressed hope that Turkey would be one of the first
countries to recognize his country’s independence and
stressed that he was "very pleased" with Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s stance on Kosovo. `I
am very proud of the Turkish minority in Kosovo and
they are part of our government. We are very closely
cooperating with them and believe that this will
continue.’

Thaci ducked all the questions regarding a possible
date for the declaration of independence noting,
however, that nothing will stop the process. The
Kosovo leader said he expected the U.S., strong
members of the EU and the Islamic world to recognize
Kosovo quite soon.

`We understand the concerns of Cyprus regarding the
independence of Kosovo. We can wait a bit longer for
them to recognize our independence but we will make
our decision soon. Our independence cannot be taken
hostage by the problems of Cyprus or any other
country,’ Thaci said in an interview with Today’s
Zaman.