Macedonia cancels regional summit amid Kosovo dispute
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 29 May 2013 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Macedonia cancels regional summit amid Kosovo dispute, 29 May 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/51b087f918.html [accessed 21 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
May 29, 2013
Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov
SKOPJE – Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov has canceled a summit of the South-East Europe Cooperation Process after Albania and Croatia announced they would not attend to protest Kosovo's exclusion.
The summit was scheduled for June 1 and 2 at the southwestern resort town of Ohrid.
But Kosovar President Atifete Jahjaga has publicly complained about being left out due to opposition from Serbia and other countries that don't recognize Pristina's independence.
Kosovo has never been invited to the gatherings because five of the group's member states – Serbia, Greece, Romania, Moldova, and Bosnia – don't recognize Kosovo's 2008 unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia.
Jahjaga was expecting an invitation this year after Pristina and Belgrade reached a landmark Brussels-brokered agreement last month aimed at normalizing ties bringing them closer to the European Union.
Based on reporting by AFP and RFE/RL's Balkan Service
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
