Kosovo premier says no unilaterally scheduled talks with Belgrade

Kosovo Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi gave an interview to our daily, saying that the Kosovo government has started cooperating with the Montenegrin authorities about the return of refugees. He says that the return is to be conducted in an organized manner. Kosumi says that the Kosovo government will try to bring its citizens home, where their property awaits them.

[Passage omitted]

[Reporter] Where will the negotiations with [Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav] Kostunica be held and are there any special conditions you would like to state?

[Bajram Kosumi] Kostunica unilaterally suggested the place and the date of the talks. However, both sides must agree about such a decision. As you can see, there will be no meeting on 25 May in Prizren. There will be no meetings announced by just one side. Moreover, Kostunica cannot presume to invite me as a guest to come to my own house. I officially said that an official meeting can be arranged when we reach an agreement about the location. We could meet in my office in the Kosovo government building or in Belgrade. If we cannot reach an agreement about either of these places then we could agree about a third location, a neutral one. As far as our side is concerned we are not stating any conditions that have to be met before the talks. We will talk as two prime ministers who represent two countries of equal status.

[Reporter] Will Kosovo become independent and when?

[Kosumi] In a year Kosovo will be different than it is today. The USA, together with the European Union, will be a very important partner participating in this process. I must say that the USA proved to be very interested and expeditious with their implementation plans. We saw this during the last 10 years in Bosnia-Hercegovina and six years ago in Kosovo. We need US help in the region. The Americans should participate in the process of negotiations and dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

[Reporter] If Kosovo becomes independent do you expect to see a union of independent states in the Balkans?

[Kosumi] I do not expect to see any kind of union of independent states in the Balkans. The only place where we can be allies will be within the European Union.

[Passage omitted]

Source: Dan, Podgorica, in Serbian 24 May 05 p4