This commitment comes on the occasion of the meeting that will bring together in Strasbourg (France) on Friday the Foreign Ministers of the 46 member countries of the organization, but it is not clear whether Kosovo's admission will be on the agenda and whether this promise from Pristina can influence any decision-making.

According to statements by Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti, the reason is related to the pressure imposed on Pristina to accept the formation of an association of ten municipalities with a Serbian majority, a long-standing demand from Serbia and a member of this pan-European organization.

Through a letter made public, the Kosovar Foreign Minister, Donika Gervalla-Schwarz, committed her government to preparing "a draft statute for the creation of a self-management, coordination and cooperation mechanism for municipalities with a Serbian majority in Kosovo".

The draft will be sent to the Constitutional Court by the end of May for judges to deliberate on its constitutionality, the letter added.

The mechanism, known as the Association of Municipalities with a Serbian Majority (ASMM), "will respect all the laws of the Republic of Kosovo", the minister said.

In return, and after "its commitment at this important stage", Pristina expects the Council of Europe to "fulfil its part of the obligations and invite Kosovo to join without delay" the organization, according to the letter, quoted by international agencies.

Serbia, which opposes international recognition of Kosovo, its former southern province, immediately criticized the Kosovar proposal.

In a statement, the head of the Serbian negotiating delegation, Petar Petkovic, accused Albin Kurti of intending to "avoid fulfilling his obligations" included in a 2013 agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, and of acting unilaterally.

Among the points of this agreement, mediated by the European Union (EU), is the creation of an association of municipalities that would involve 10 municipalities where Serbs are in the majority. The text provides for autonomy in the areas of health, education and culture, among other sectors.

Kurti, who was not in power in 2013, believes that the agreement implies granting autonomous status to the Serbian minority in Kosovo -- currently about 120,000 of the 1.7 million inhabitants -- and the consequent weakening of the central government in Pristina.

Kosovo, an autonomous province in southern Serbia, declared independence in 2008, never recognized by Belgrade, and the persistence of tensions could compromise the ambitions of the two capitals for future EU membership.

Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo remain very high 15 years after the end of the war, following a NATO military intervention against Belgrade in 1999, raising fears of a rekindling of the conflict and the opening of a new front of destabilization in Europe while the war in Ukraine continues.

The normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, mediated by the EU, remains at an impasse, particularly after the clashes last September between a Serbian militia and the Kosovar police that left four dead and heightened tensions in the region.

Following this incident, KFOR, NATO's multinational force in Kosovo and present in the territory since 1999, reinforced its presence on the ground and currently has around 4,800 troops.

Independent Kosovo -- which Serbia considers the cradle of its nationality and religion -- has been recognized by about 100 countries, including the United States, which maintains strong influence over the Kosovar leadership, and most EU member states, except for Spain, Romania, Greece, Slovakia and Cyprus.

Serbia continues to consider Kosovo as an integral part of its territory and Belgrade benefits from the support of Russia and China, which, like dozens of other countries (including India, Brazil, South Africa or Indonesia), have also not recognized Kosovo's independence.

The Council of Europe was created in 1949 to defend Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law and currently has 46 member states, including all the countries that make up the EU.

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