The EU member states have in principle adopted "guidelines" for harmonizing positions with Serbia for the upcoming debate on Kosovo at the U.N. General Assembly, EU officials told BETA in Brussels on Sept. 6.

The harmonized positions in question are between the member states that have and those that have not recognized Pristina's self-proclaimed independence and the document makes no mention either of the unilateral secession of Kosovo or negotiations on all open issues, which Serbia has been requesting so far.

However, the EU is offering "good favors" in exchange for talks between Belgrade and Pristina on issues of practical interest, for the sake of turning toward the future and strengthening the European perspective of both Serbia and Kosovo.

Those "guidelines" will be presented to Serbian President Boris Tadic by EU Foreign and Security Policy High Representative Catherine Ashton in Brussels late on Sept. 7, with the aim of completing or formulating "harmonized" positions of the EU and Serbia for reviewing the Kosovo issue at the U.N. General Assembly.

The Union members that have recognized the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo have, along with these "guidelines," made it clear that the content of the document in no way puts in question their stand that Kosovo is an independent state.

The EU guidelines, which represent a compromise of views on Kosovo within the EU, are to be officially confirmed by the Political and Security Committee of the Union on Sept. 7.

According to well-informed diplomatic sources in Brussels, the most influential EU member states that have recognized Kosovo, just like the U.S., essentially still want to present the Serbian authorities led by Tadic with the choice that if Serbia wants to join the EU, it cannot go against the majority within the Union and must stand down.