Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to encourage European Union nations to recognise Kosovo as an independent sovereign state.

We welcome the fact that the vast majority of EU members states recognise Kosovo's statehood. In line with our longstanding support for Kosovo's international integration as a sovereign independent state, the UK continues to use suitable opportunities to reinforce the case for recognition with the five remaining EU members states which have yet to recognise Kosovo's statehood.