Status on the Request received by the South African Government on the newly declared Independent State of Kosovo for recognition

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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

FOR WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION NO: 311

PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 5 OF 29 FEBRUARY 2008

MR AJ LEON TO ASK THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

(1) Whether the Government has received any request from the newly declared independent state of Kosovo for recognition; if not what decision has been taken in this regard; if so, (a) what are the relevant details and (b) what has been the response?
(2) Whether the Minister is prepared to make a statement on the matter; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details.

REPLY:

(1) The Government has received a request for recognition from the President and Prime Minister of Kosovo. In a letter addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, South Africa is “invited” to formally recognise Kosovo as an independent state and to establish full diplomatic relations.

(2) The issue of Kosovo is complex and Government has to consider the full implications of Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence before it pronounces on the matter.

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