Irked by Serbia’s decision to file a resolution to the UN General Assembly on Kosovo without any consultation, the EU’s member states are increasing pressure on Belgrade to either withdraw or rewrite it. “It would be best for the existing resolution to be pulled or to reach an agreement on the resolution with the rest of the European Union,” British Foreign Secretary William Hague was cited by the Serbian news website B92 as saying after meetings with Serbian leaders in Belgrade, on 31 August. His words echoed views expressed by German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle last week in Belgrade. Before the meeting with Hague, Serbia’s President Boris Tadic issued a statement saying that “Serbia is ready for a compromise over a draft resolution on Kosovo”.

Belgrade submitted a draft resolution to the UN after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a non-binding opinion, on 22 July, stating that Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia did not violate international law. The resolution is due to be debated at the UN General Assembly, on 9 September. It calls for fresh talks on all outstanding issues but also condemns Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence.

At the EU level, the issue is dealt with by foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. According to EU sources, her cabinet is carrying out an intensive dialogue with Serbian authorities on the draft resolution.

Bound by its neutral approach towards Kosovo’s independence, the EU declared after the ICJ verdict, on 22 July, its readiness “to facilitate a process of dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade”. The Union’s common position on Serbia’s resolution will be based on this declaration, an EU source told Europolitics. Another source said that the issue is likely to be discussed at the informal meeting of foreign ministers (Gymnich), on 10-11 September in Brussels.