Matyas Eorsi, President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Group in the Council of Europe (CoE) stated that the aim of the event was to provide the international community with some leadership and guidance on the type of steps and actions that can be taken in resolving the status of Kosovo.

Graham Watson, Lib Dem, UK and leader of the ALDE Group in the European Parliament supports the principle of an independent Kosovo as a political objective and commented: "I look forward to the day where an independent, multi-ethnic Kosovo will be a Member State of the European Union.”(see speech)

The Conference addressed four main issues:

• The protection of human and minority rights and the development of full democracy in Kosovo.

Sonja Biserko, Chairperson of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia welcomed the fact that Serbian opinion polls are showing increasing recognition that Kosovo will achieve independence, but regretted the strategy adopted by Belgrade over the last five years in which Kosovo Serbs were prevented and discouraged from participating in Kosovo’s institutions and elections. (see speech)

Robert Benjamin from the National Democratic Institute in the US felt that Kosovo's political institutions are growing and maturing along democratic lines, and that multiethnic participation is key to their further development, in particular the ability of Kosovan Serbs to integrate themselves into Kosovo's political process. (see speech) 

• Kosovo and her neighbours.

Tony Welch, working in the Internal Security Sector Review in Kosovo highlighted that Kosovo’s security and future development is being hampered by the uncertainty over its status and that future European integration was dependent on increasing regional cooperation, particularly in economic and trade terms. (see speech)

Radivoje Lazarevic, Leader of the Liberals of Serbia stated that it is important for Kosovo to recognise the need to cooperate with its neighbours to fulfil its aspiration of European integration. An institutional framework across Serbia and Kosovo, setting out common approaches to the EU and other issues is desirable. (see speech)

• International and European structures

Lord Russell-Johnston, former President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE expressed the opinion that the EU needs to resolve its current uncertainties over future enlargement as “the prospect of entry to the EU is the glue holding together optimism in the Balkans”.

Daniel Tarschys, former Secretary General of the CoE believes that the EU needs to find ways to increase its influence and that policy areas need to be identified that can be extended to countries in the Western Balkans before getting to the stage of EU accession.

• Is de jure independence or “more than autonomy, less than independence” the way forward?

Rainer Stinner, MP, Germany called for the conditional independence of Kosovo while noting that it is important to find a solution that is agreeable to Serbia who in turn needs to prepare its citizens for Kosovo being granted independence. Mr Stinner stated that the EU should supervise the establishment of minority rights and oversee the presence of the international community in Kosovo.

In the discussion, Gjergj Dedaj, MP, Leader of the Liberal Party of Kosova (PLK) said: “The independence of Kosovo is a key factor for stability and peace as after the 1999 war, Kosovo cannot anymore be part of Serbia. Albanian and Serbian Kosovans must continue to promote liberal values in this part of Europe and to work for an open and democratic Kosovo supporting the rule of law, human and minority rights, privatisation, free trade, diversity and full integration of all minorities in Kosovo society and Kosovan, European and International institutions”.

In the closing remarks, Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck expressed the need for the Serbian and Kosovan governments to work together in the build up to resolving Kosovo’s status and after a decision is made to ensure the protection of minority rights, economic development and European integration, which is a key objective for Belgrade and Pristina.

At the end of the conference, the European Liberal Democrat and Reform (ELDR) Party, the International Federation of Liberal parties (Liberal International) and ALDE groups in the European Parliament and Council of Europe’s parliamentary assembly adopted a statement calling for the recognition of Kosovo’s de jure independence on condition that:

- Kosovo adheres to UN and European human and minority rights conventions;

- Kosovo recognises the right of the Serb minority to preserve and administer its cultural monuments in Kosovo;

- Kosovo recognises the Serb language as an official language which can be used in all transactions between the citizens and the State;

- Kosovo undertakes to hand over to the jurisdiction of the International Tribunal at The Hague any citizen of Kosovo charged with offences by the prosecutor of that Tribunal;

- Kosova recognises that her existing frontiers are permanent;