EU APPROVES MISSION DISPATCH TO KOSOVO NEXT WEEK

The European Union has approved a civilian police and justice mission to help enforce the rule of law in Kosovo, which is poised to declare independence from Serbia. The 2,000-strong mission will begin deploying to the region from next week. The U.S. and most EU states are preparing to recognize Kosovo quickly, but Serbia and Russia strongly oppose the move, which is widely expected on Sunday. Earlier, Kosovo’s PM sought to reassure the province’s Serbian minority that it would not face discrimination. Speaking to reporters in Kosovo’s capital Pristina, Hashim Thaci pledged that the rights of all communities, including Serbs, would be guaranteed. He said no citizen of an independent Kosovo should feel discriminated against. "In Kosovo, there will be security for all citizens. The government is committed to looking forward to the future and overcoming the sad past." The EU waited diplomatically until Serbia’s pro-Western President Boris Tadic was sworn into office on Friday before giving the final green light for the deployment of the mission. The decision was formalized by a so-called "silent procedure", under which members of the 27-nation bloc had until midnight on Friday to voice objections. The 2,000 EU police and customs officers, judges and prosecutors are tasked with helping to prevent human rights abuses and ensure that Kosovo’s fragile institutions are free from political interference. Crucially, the mission will be able to intervene in sensitive areas such as fighting corruption and organized crime and catching war crime suspects. While Germany and Italy are the biggest contributors, all EU members except for tiny Malta will take part, as well as non-EU countries like the United States, Turkey and Croatia. It is a clear signal to Serbia and Russia, which fiercely oppose Kosovo’s independence and insist the presence of the EU there will be illegal, BBC reports.

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