State Dept: Holbrooke Doesn't Speak for U.S. Government

May 8 (EIRNS)--Asked by EIR about Richard Holbrooke's statement that the U.S. would immediately recognize an independent Kosovo if Russia vetoes the UN Security Council resolution on Kosovo independence, a State Department spokesperson said, even though Holbrooke works with the State Dept. on some Balkan matters, he does not speak for U.S. government.

Holbrooke "is a private citizen, and is entitled to his views," the spokesperson indicated, adding that the official U.S. position is that set forth by Undersecretary of State Nick Burns in testimony to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on April 17. Burns told the Congress that the U.S. will soon sponsor a UN Security Council resolution which "will remove political and legal impediments to independence," and provide mandates for international supervision. "We expect that Kosovo's leaders will subsequently declare their independence," Burns said, adding that the U.S. "will then recognize the new state."

Burns said that he had told the Russian deputy foreign minister that he hopes the U.S. and Russia can work together cooperatively to maintain stability and peace in the region, but that "any attempt to block Kosovo's independence will not succeed as Kosovo's independence in now, we believe, inevitable."