Czech PM wants Kosovo recognition on Wednesday

The Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolánek, says he will push for the government to recognise the independence of Kosovo this Wednesday, before he leaves for a NATO summit in Bucharest. In an interview for Hospodařské noviny, he said there was no alternative to recognising the breakaway province now, adding that it would be better to do so before elections in Serbia. However, Mr Topolánek was critical of Kosovo, describing it as a boil on the western Balkans for which there was no good solution. He said the Serbs were traditional partners of the Czechs, and if the Czech Republic did not grant recognition of Kosovo’s independence Czech soldiers there would in effect become an occupying army. He said the only reason Prague would recognise Kosovo was so as not to tarnish relations with partners in the European Union and NATO.

Meanwhile, the Czech foreign minister, Karel Schwarzenberg, said he would not insist on a decision being reached on the matter this Wednesday. He said he would like to give ministers time to consider such an important matter.