Kosovo's bid to join Interpol rejected

Dubai - The Interpol evaluated the membership applications of Kiribati, Vanuatu and Kosovo.

The International Police Organisation (Interpol) welcomed Kiribati and Vanuatu into its fold, bringing the number of its member countries to 194. Kosovo's bid for membership was rejected.
On the third day of the organisation's 87th general assembly in Dubai, the Interpol evaluated the membership applications of Kiribati, Vanuatu and Kosovo. While the two countries earned their spot in what was touted to be the "world's oldest police organisation", Kosovo's application was rejected in a vote among the Interpol's 192 member countries on Tuesday.
Serbia, in particular, was noted to have been lobbying against Kosovo's membership, as the former does not recognise Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia. Nebojsa Stefanovic, Interior Minister of Serbia, tweeted "victory" from the general assembly meeting.
Based on the Interpol's membership process ratified in last year's assembly in Beijing, China, Kosovo needed two-thirds of votes cast to be approved for a full membership.
Kosovo's government expressed disappointment, saying in a statement that "Serbia's wild campaign shows once again its stand against Kosovo and against the idea of normalising ties".
"Voting against Kosovo's accession in this international organisation only serves...criminals and no one should rejoice," it said.
The US Embassy in Kosovo also expressed disappointment.
"Support for Kosovo's Interpol membership was never about recognition of Kosovo's independence, but about strengthening global law enforcement cooperation and closing a critical security gap in the Balkans. With this outcome, we all lose," it said.
Interpol acts as a clearinghouse for national police services that want to hunt down suspects outside their borders. Its red notices are alerts circulated to all member countries that identify a person wanted for arrest by another country. There are 57,289 active red notices around the world, according to the organisation.
Its four-day annual meeting in Dubai is set to end today, and it is expected to elect a new president, along with other members of the executive committee.
amira@khaleejtimes.com
(With a report from AP)

• Dubai