Kosovo status negotiations progressing better
than expected - diplomat
ITAR-TASS - October 23, 2007 Tuesday 10:38 PM EST
BRUSSELS October 23 - The Kosovo status negotiations mediated by the UN Troika
(Russia, the United States and the European Union) are progressing better than
expects, Russian Permanent Representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov said on
Tuesday.
In his words, Kosovo will be on the agenda of the Russia-EU summit in Mafra on
October 26.
"Certain progress has been achieved at the negotiations on the Kosovo status,"
he said. For instance, Serbian and Albanian sides held direct negotiations in
Brussels and Vienna in the attendance of the Troika. Previously, they addressed
only the Troika and never each other, he added.
Russia does not think that December 10, when the Troika mandate ceases, is the
deadline for the negotiations. On that day the Troika will make a report to the
UN Secretary General, and the UN Security Council will choose the further format
of the dialog: either the mandate will be extended, or the case will be referred
to the UN Contact Group, or a new intermediary will be found.
It would be the best to start direct dialog between Belgrade and Pristina,
without any intermediaries, Chizhov said, adding that this is hardly possible.
A unilateral recognition of independent Kosovo would be a strategic blunder,
"which would have negative consequences not only for the Balkans and Europe, but
also for all the other unrecognized territories," Chizhov said. "That would be a
blow on the UN authority, as the United Nations never recognizes the unilateral
declaration of independence."
"Russia will never allow that to happen," he said. "Only a solution found
through negotiations will be workable."
Serbia favors "a mutually acceptable compromise" in the definition of the Kosovo
and Metohija status, which would guarantee lasting peace and stability in the
region, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic told Russian Deputy Foreign
Minister Vladimir Titov in Belgrade on Sunday.
Titov confirmed the Russian invariable attitude to the Kosovo problem and said,
"Moscow supports a solution based on fundamental principles of the international
law, which will not breach the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia."
"We think that the Troika should promote negotiations aimed at a compromise
rather than offer a formula, which may be thrust upon the sides. It is very good
that the sides are holding direct negotiations. We think there is no deadline,
although the Troika is bound to make a report to the UN Secretary General on
December 10 and then give information to the UN Security Council," Titov told
Itar-Tass.
A report by the UN Secretary General "will simply give an account of facts. He
will not assess chances for further negotiations," Titov said.
"It is necessary to discuss the issue and make a decision about further steps of
the UN Security Council," the diplomat noted. "To our mind, there are certain
positive and inspiring signals from the negotiating parties. We can say that the
negotiating formula is very useful, and we hope to achieve certain results by
December 10. These results will be developed later on. I think the understanding
of the fact that the Kosovo settlement should be treated rationally and with
great responsibility will strengthen."
Itar-Tass asked Titov about the Russian Foreign Ministry attitude to the idea of
certain members of the international community that a world conference on Kosovo
should be held. "No one has put forward this idea officially, and I have not
heard about serious debates to that effect. We think that the Kosovo settlement
issue will remain an item on the agenda of the UN Security Council and the
existent negotiating formats, first and foremost, the Contact Group, after
December 10," he said.
There should be no deadline in the Kosovo status negotiations, Russian
Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said in comments on camera
consultations of the UN Security Council earlier this month.
He criticized those, who think that the negotiations have predestined results.
"There can be no predestined solution, and this is clear from documents of the
Contact Group," Churkin said.
The mandate of the Contact Group Troika (Russia, the United States and the
European Union) will expire on December 10, 2007, but that does not mean that
the future of Kosovo must be determined by that time, Churkin said.
The Troika will submit a report to the UN Secretary General, and he will report
to the UN Security Council, he said. "No one should have an impression that
December 10 is a special day," he said.
In his opinion, the Troika activity has had a good start. Representatives of
Russia, the United States and the European Union "have proven their ability to
work together and have had several good contacts with the sides," he said. The
meetings showed that it is possible to make progress at the negotiations, the
diplomat said.
The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo did not reach a compromise concerning the
Kosovo status at the October 14 negotiations in Brussels with the mediation of
the UN Troika. The negotiations continued in Vienna on October 22.
The Troika also said that no one had expected the achievement of any results at
the Brussels meeting.
Jeremic conveyed the proposal of a broad autonomous status of Kosovo within the
state of Serbia. The Kosovo delegation spelled out its plan of friendship and
cooperation between two independent states and the comprehensive provision of
rights of national minorities.
The UN intermediaries pledged to continue their efforts for defining common
prospects and eventually finding a solution.
The NATO spokesman said earlier that the alliance, whose servicemen are ensuring
security in Kosovo, rules out the possible escalation of violence in the region
if the status is not defined within the next few months.
EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana said
after his address to the negotiating parties that the Brussels round was
unlikely to bring results.
This is only the second round of direct negotiations between Serbian and
Albanian sides with the mediation of the Troika, he remarked.
Solana expressed the EU keen interest in the success of the negotiations and
voiced hope for the positive development of the negotiations.
It is not a secret that the November 17 elections in Kosovo may exacerbate the
situation, but these difficulties can be overcome, he said.
Kosovo will elect the parliament and municipal authorities on November 17. The
Serbian government has recommended Kosovo Serbs to boycott the elections.
The EU representative in the UN Contact Group, Wolfgang Ischinger, urged Serbs
and Albanians to achieve a compromise.
He said the Brussels and Vienna meetings would show whether progress was
possible.
Ischinger did not expect any results from the Brussels round either, but said
that time was a factor, as the Troika mandate would expire on December 10, and
the intermediaries would present their report to the UN secretary general.
The intermediary called on EU countries to reduce visa formalities for Serbia.
In his opinion, that would promote the achievement of a compromise at the
negotiations.
The European Union will send a strong signal if it says that visa formalities
for Serbia will be eventually abolished, he said.
The European Union has signed agreements on simpler visa formalities with Balkan
states. These agreements make it easier for officials, students, scientists,
journalists and businessmen to get an entry visa. Meanwhile, Belgrade wants the
abolition of visa formalities. Italy supports this stand and says that Serbia
should enjoy an official status of the EU candidate city and the abolition of
visa formalities in exchange for the independence of Kosovo. Brussels is not
ready to do that.
Meanwhile, Serbian President Boris Tadic said that a military interference of
the Serbian army in Kosovo would cause a confrontation with the international
community and the final loss of that territory.
"We will not take steps, which will doom us to failure, no matter how much
extremists on both sides would like that," he said in an interview with the
military magazine Odbrana.
Serbia has not had a concept of co-existence with Kosovo Albanians until now,
and Belgrade is trying to change the situation at direct negotiations with the
Kosovo administration, Tadic said.
"Our active policy aims to create conditions for a mutually acceptable solution,
which would give Serbia a clear prospect of the European integration without
territorial changes and a breach of sovereignty," he said. "Political forces,
which insist on the isolation of Serbia, still exist. They will exist forever,
but it is the most important to achieve their defeat at the negotiations and
continue the integration," he said.
In the opinion of Tadic, the association with the European Union will not
automatically entail NATO membership, "but the international position of Serbia
differs a lot from the position of other EU member countries, which abstain from
entering into the alliance."
The question of Serbia's possible accession to NATO will be put on referendum at
an appropriate time, Tadic said.
Posted for Fair Use only.