Kosovo mission plans finalised by EU

The EU has finalised plans for a police and civil administration mission for Kosovo within 24 hours of Serbia’s presidential election. Cyprus, fearing Kosovo’s secession would set an international precedent, was the only member of the 27 nation bloc to abstain from the vote. As soon as a launch date is finalised, the EU will have 120 days to deploy its staff.

Kosovo’s leadership has delayed a declaration of independence until after the second round of Serbia’s poll. It was won on Sunday by the pro-Western incumbent Boris Tadic.

The 1,800 police and administrative officials will take over from the UN in Kosovo as the international security presence.

Kosovo has been run by the UN since a US-led NATO bombing campaign against Serb forces in the late 1990s.

The province’s 16,000 strong NATO force will remain in situ.

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