SERBIA / UNITED KINGDOM: Future of Kosovo discussed in Pristina and London

Danish Defense Minister Soeren Gade visited Kosovo on Wednesday (September 19) and met Steven Schook, deputy head of the UN mission in Kosovo. Gade also visited Danish peacekeepers serving in Kosovo. Around 300 Danish soldiers currently serve in Kosovo as part of the 16,000 soldier strong NATO led peacekeeping force KFOR. Kosovo wants independence, but Russia has blocked a U.N. resolution which would have given sovereignty under European Union supervision. Russia, a veto holder at United Nations Security Council and traditional ally of Serbia, says it will not support any solution that Belgrade does not agree to. Kosovo leaders say that if no agreement is achived they will unilaterally declare independence. "I can tell you that in my opinion we should not leave before there is a kind of settlement, because if we leave too early there is a possibility that might occur violence," said Gade replying to Reuters whether they will pull troops in case of unilaterally declaration of independence by Kosovo. The Deputy head of UN in Kosovo, Steven Schook, said that they discussed with Gade northern Kosovo where Danish troops are based. "I am very confident we have a very good plan for any activities that may occur north of the Ibar (river), to ensure the territorial integrity of Kosovo, and of course with the Danish task force where it's at, it's in a critical location," said Schook. Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leaders held talks in London on Wednesday with international mediators on the hotly disputed future of the breakaway province, ahead of direct dialogue with Serbia next week in New York. The president and prime minister of the Albanian-majority territory were meeting with a mediating "troika" of envoys from the United States, Russia and the European Union, who saw the Serbian delegation in London on Tuesday. The Kosovo Albanians insist Serbia should concede the territory as already lost and move on to a brighter future in the European Union. Speaking at a news conference Prime Minister Agim Ceku told reporters that independence was the key. "For us it is very clear there is no stability in the region without the independence of Kosovo. But independence will not work without stability in the region. As our contribution to the stability, as our goodwill to build the peace and stability in the region we have offered this treaty and we have shown our willingness to build the working relationship with Serbia as we have with other neighbours," said Ceku. And former guerilla commander Hashim Thaci said that they were ready to work with the U.S and European Union. "Kosovo is ready today for independence. We are very united. We want security. We will take our responsibility to start to implement the process of independence of Kosovo to live everybody in Kosovo in one democratic state. But we will work very closely with United States and EU to harmonize in which time we will take that decision," said Thaci. Serbia on Tuesday repeated its opposition to independence, in which it has won Russian support. Belgrade lost control over Kosovo in 1999, after NATO bombed for 11 weeks to drive out Serb forces and halt the ethnic cleansing of Albanians in a two-year war with separatist rebels. Eight years later, Moscow has blocked a Western-backed plan for EU-supervised independence at the U.N. Security Council after 13 months of fruitless U.N.-led talks, forcing another bid for compromise that began last month in Vienna. The first face-to-face talks of this round are due in New York on Sept. 28 on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly. The troika is due to report back to the United Nations by Dec. 10, when the West says a decision must be taken. Kosovo has been run by the United Nations since 1999, when NATO bombs drove out Serb forces accused of atrocities in a two-year war with ethnic Albanian separatist guerrillas.

ITN Source | September 20, 2007

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