Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Stability Pact coordinator urges Kosovo, Serbia to resume direct talks

Prishtina [Pristina], 4 May: The Coordinator of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, Erhardt Busek, said today in Prishtina that Prishtina-Belgrade direct talks have no other alternative, and that they should have already started.

Busek said that, despite the Prishtina and Belgrade disagreements over Kosova's [Kosovo] final status, they should sit around the negotiating table.

"The direct talks should have already started. There were different conditioning from both sides, which I understand, but they should go in this track. There is no other alternative," Busek said following a meeting with Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi.

He said that there is a conviction in Brussels that the status talks have to start this year. "But it is necessary not only to talk with the EU and the United States, but also some links must be created with Belgrade," he said.

Whereas the Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi highlighted the need for economic development. He asked the Stability Pact to provide funds in two principle infrastructure projects. "There are two principle projects for Kosova, one which link Kosova with Corridor 10-Skopje (Macedonia)-Nis (Serbia) and another that link Kosova with Albania, without which the future of Kosova cannot be imagined," he said.

Busek said on the other hand that there will be assistance from the side of the Stability Pact, but he added that Kosova has not provided any project for such funding.

"Concerning infrastructure for the moment we are missing projects. But I am very much working for corridor 10, which is of extreme importance, and we are looking forward to get proposals for this project," he said.

Source: KosovaLive web site, Pristina, in English 4 May 05

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