YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTRY CONCERNED OVER
KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE STATEMENT
Belgrade, 14 February: The Foreign Ministry of Serbia and Montenegro has
expressed deep concern over a joint statement by the floor groups of three
Kosovo Albanian parties in support of
their initiative for an independent Kosovo,
adopted in the Kosovo parliament on
Thursday 13 February .
It is particularly surprising that this statement was adopted just days after a
UN Security Council session, the ministry said, when the Council adopted a
presidential statement strongly rejecting unilateral initiatives which run
contrary to Security Council Resolution 1244, and which could jeopardize
stability and the process of normalization not only in
Kosovo, but in the entire region. The
ministry pointed out that the permanent representative of Serbia and Montenegro
to the UN had spoken at the recent session, cautioning against these
developments and asking that the Security Council react resolutely to the
initiative by a group of Kosovo parliament MPs on the province's independence.
It is necessary that the international community react to such examples of
flagrant violations of Resolution 1244 and that the Security Council take an
active stand on the situation in Kosovo by constantly following it in a
comprehensive and fundamental manner, and reacting timely in keeping with its
mandate stemming from Resolution 1244, and resolutely oppose any and all
activities which are aimed at the independence of Kosovo.
Serbia and Montenegro on this occasion once again expressed absolute support for
Security Council Resolution 1244 and urged its full implementation, the ministry
statement said.
Source: Tanjug news agency, Belgrade, in English 1642 gmt 14 Feb 03
BBC Monitoring Service