UN Rep. in Kosova - "Impressed with Prime-MInister Haradinaj" Transcript of press conference

Haradinaj:
Good morning and welcome to this press conference. Today we have had our first meeting with the SRSG Søren Jessen-Petersen where I briefed the SRSG about the work ahead and to what the government is doing over all.
I explained about our commitments, particularly about the work achieved from our side, which is the necessary mechanism, and about the standard agenda and for the reactivate that comes from the group on standards. I promised that we in concrete results as the new government is ready to start working from next week

We also talked about the most important thing concerning Kosovo which is the issue on economical developments. I explained that this is a very important issue a needs to be taken as a top priority in Kosovo.

SRSG Jessen-Petersen promised that this issue will be a common focus and that there will be restructuring over all. I thanked Mr. Jessen-Petersen for his support and I also expressed our commitment that we will continue our work according to our agenda with the cooperation between the new government and UNMIK.


SRSG
Yes for me it was my first formal opportunity to call on the new Prime Minister to congratulate Mr. Haradinaj on his election and than indeed to listen to the PM on the governments priorities.

I obviously do agree two top priorities are to move forward and implement the priorities on the Standards, because we need to see implementation so that we can get a positive assessment by summer 2005.

And the other priority is like the PM said we also need to move aggressively on the economy.

That is what the voters did on the 23rd of October they all talked about the economy.

They need jobs, they need employments for the future on moving on the priority standards and improving the conditions for the minorities, while at the same time we will be working on the economy.

I have said very often that a very tight time table for us. We have six to eight by the time when the Security Council will make a judgement if there have been sufficient progress.

And I have said that we don’t have any time to lose. So I must say that I am very encouraged to what I have seen and it is obvious that the new government and PM started working from day one and they have been working very hard in order to not to lose time and in order to move this process forward.

I am very encouraged I must say by the facts, because what I see and what I hear is a strong commitment to hard work. It is only hard work that will get Kosovo to a positive review of standards and than into status talks. I am very happy with this first meeting.

UNMIK remains available, to support the provisional institutions and we have already had many times said that at the working level and we look forward now in the upcoming days and weeks to pursue in all the areas where we can be in support.

I informed the PM this morning that during this week to handover to the PM our proposal for the transfer further competencies in the area of the economy and we will then see again on how we can support the government and working on a improvement in economical conditions.

This has been for me the first meeting and I must say that I am very impressed by the PM and I am very confident that we will continue moving forward.