PACE REGRETS ABSENCE OF MUTUALLY-ACCEPTED SOLUTION TO KOSOVO
PanARMENIAN.Net
23.01.2008 18:15 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe considers the solution of the Kosovo status process as a
fundamental element for ensuring peace and long-term stability in
Europe. Determining the future status of Kosovo is a highly sensitive
political issue with serious regional and wider international
implications and is a challenge for the international community,"
reads a PACE resolution on Kosovo’s future status.
"The Assembly deeply regrets that, at this stage, no mutually-accepted
solution has been found. The dialogue engaged over this period
has been precious in clarifying to what extent there is room for
an agreement, amongst others, on issues such as the protection of
national minorities, the protection of cultural and religious heritage
and decentralisation.
However, the position of the two sides as regards status remains
unchanged.
"The failure to reach a compromise under the period of engagement of
the Troika opens a period of great uncertainty: amongst the possible
scenarios, it is not to be excluded that the Kosovo Assembly decides
to resort to a Unilateral Declaration of Independence, should the UNSC
be incapable of achieving a unanimous position and imposing a solution.
"The Assembly urges the parties concerned to continue to act in a
responsible manner, keep their pledge to preserve peace and dialogue
in all circumstances and refrain from any incitement to violence.
"The Assembly reiterates its aspiration for Kosovo to be, irrespective
of its status, a multi-ethnic area which is safe for all those who
live in it, where Council of Europe standards of democracy, rule of
law, protection of human rights and rights of national minorities,
and good governance are fully enforced, where the recourse offered
by the European Convention on Human Rights is available to everyone
and where the values of democracy, tolerance and multiculturalism
are shared by its people and institutions," the resolution says.