SERBS OF KOSOVO SAY INDEPENDENCE IS NOT WAY OUT OF CURRENT SITUATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.05.2007 13:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Head of UN Security Council’s mission, Belgium’s
Permanent Representative to the UN Johan Verbeke reported for the tour
to Balkans to the Security Council. He said, the visit of the mission
to Belgrade and Pristina was successful. Mission members succeeded in
drawing the full picture of the real situation in political, economic
and social development of Kosovo. Besides, from the first hand the
mission could get information about views of different communities
concerning their future.

Johan Verbeke reminded the delegation visited the region on Russia’s
initiative with the aim to examine fulfillment of UN Security
Council’s 1244 resolution and "Standards for Kosovo" plan, which
also was approved by the Security Council. Those standards suppose
functioning of democratic institutions, rule of law, freedom of
movement, return of refugees and their reintegration, development of
economy, protection of property rights and dialog with Belgrade.

Belgium’s Permanent Representative stated that all interim institutions
of power and other administrative bodies are established in Kosovo
and they function rather successfully, however still the region is in
the stage of post-conflict reconstruction. In his words, Albanians
and Serbs of Kosovo still isolate themselves and there is no united
multiethnic society in Kosovo. The Belgian Ambassador informed mission
members held a number of meetings with leaders of Serbia and Kosovo,
representatives of both Albanian and Serbian communities of Kosovo,
as well as other national minorities of the region. They also visited
south and north Mitrovica. Security Council’s mission also met with
NATO and European Union representatives, as well as Secretary General’s
Special Envoy Marti Ahtisaari in Vienna.

According to Johan Verbeke at the meeting with Security Council’s
mission in Belgrade Serbian leaders underlined they categorically
oppose the idea of granting Kosovo any form of independence. One
more time Serbian authorities confirmed their readiness to grant
a wide autonomy to the region. Serbia insists on returning to
negotiations. Belgrade thinks that Pristina has not fulfilled the
international standards and demands of 1244 resolution. They draw a
special attention to the extremely low number of Serbs who returned
to the region.

The head of the delegation said Albanians of Kosovo fully support
Ahtisaari’s plan. They call on sooner solution of their fate. He also
added that the stance of Serbs of Kosovo differs from Albanians’
position on the issue. During meetings with leaders of Serbian
community they stated that independence is not a way out of the
current situation, the UN Press Office reports.