Ahtisaari’s Proposal Unacceptable
Serbian Government: Ahtisaari’s Proposal Unacceptable
BELGRADE, Serbia, Feb 6, 2007 (Source: Serbian Government) — Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said today during the talks with the US Special Envoy for Kosovo-Metohija, Ambassador Frank Wiesner that the proposal of UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari is unacceptable for Serbia.
Kostunica said that this proposal does not proceed either formally or in terms of content from the negotiations on the future status of Kosovo-Metohija conducted so far.
Instead of making a proposal on the future administration of the province, Ahtisaari opened the question of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia without any authorization and proposed seizing part of Serbia’s territory.
The Serbian Prime Minister said that this proposal is contrary to the UN Charter, the Serbian Constitution and basic principles of international relations, as well as to the international practice of solving disputes within states.
Ahtisaari also failed to take into account numerous proposals made by the Serbian negotiating team in the draft of the solution contained in the annexes of the document, Kostunica pointed out.
Asked by Wiesner how he sees the continuation of this process, the Serbian Prime Minister said that Serbia first has to constitute its legislative bodies that will proceed from the recently held elections, which is a practice in all democratic states.
Premier Kostunica underlined that in order to continue negotiations, as proposed by Ahtisaari, it is necessary to convene Serbian Parliament Assembly that will formulate decisions on the issue.
The Serbian Prime Minister said that Serbian Parliament will be constituted immediately following the conclusion of the election process.
Serbian Kosovo-Metohija Municipalities Reject Ahtisaari’s Draft
KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, Serbia, Feb 6, 2007 — The Society of Serbian municipalities and settlements in Kosovo-Metohija have rejected Ahtisaari’s proposal for Serbian Kosovo province as unacceptable for the Serbian side in all of its elements.
During the session which was held in the town of Kosovska Mitrovica it was concluded that there is a need for requesting Ahtisaari’s replacement, establishing the new Serbian government and negotiating team for Kosovo-Metohija province as soon as possible. It was also stressed that partition of the province is unacceptable and that Kosovars (Kosovo-Metohija Serbs) should immediately leave interim institutions created by UNMIK in the southern Serbian province.
During the meeting which addressed Ahtisaari’s proposal, it was concluded that the Finnish diplomat overstepped the mandate given to him by the UN which is why Serbian institutions have to demand Ahtisaari’s removal and replacement.
Der Standard: Russia, EU Fail to Get Closer on the Serbian Province Issue
VIENNA, Austria, Feb 6, 2007 (Tanjug) — Russia and the European Union have failed to get any closer regarding “Kosovo issue”, the Vienna daily Der Standard assessed European Troika’s visit to Moscow.
The daily pointed out that when the future status of Serbian province of Kosovo-Metohija is at issue, the key for the solution rests with the Russian metropolis.
Recalling that the main aim of the EU Troika’s visit to Russia, which was headed by the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, was the signing of a new agreement on partnership and cooperation, the Vienna daily pointed out that in that respect both sides demonstrated willingness for compromise, but when it came to the issue of southern Serbian province such willingness no longer existed.
Der Standard emphasized that Russia has taken the side of Serbia which is against the severing of its province, adding that Ahtisaari’s proposal on limited sovereignty has been met with the approval in the EU.
Cartoon by Dusan Ludwig (Serbia)