UNMIK chief optimistic new Kosovo president to be elected by next week

Text of report in English by independent internet news agency KosovaLive

Prishtina [Pristina], 3 February: The head of UNMIK [UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo] Soren Jessen-Petersen voiced optimistic during a meeting with Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi that the president will be elected next week.

He also said that next week he will stay in Kosova [Kosovo] all the time, because he believes that during this time the successor of President Rugova will be elected. "And I will be able to report to the UNSC member states that even after the death of President Rugova, the democratic institutions of Kosova have worked very well and elected the new president in a short time. This would be a very good news, which I would like to convey to the UNSC," said Jessen-Petersen.

Jessen-Petersen and Prime Minister Kosumi have evaluated once again positively the statement of the Contact Group, which came out following the meeting on London on 31 January.

The head of UNMIK mentioned some of the stances of the Contact Group, including the stance that the status of Kosova must be settled during this year. According to Jessen-Petersen, it is also important that the Contact Group has conveyed a message to Belgrade that the will of the people of Kosova will be taken into account during settling of status.

Jessen-Petersen and Kosumi have discussed on some other important issues as well, such as the issue of electricity, the establishment of the working groups for technical dialogue with Belgrade, and the issue of Prishtina-Skopje road, which still remains closed.

"We agreed with the prime minister that the landslide in Kacanik is very serious and IPVQ [Provisional Institutions of Self-government], Kfor [Kosovo Force] and UNMIK are working together to overcome it," said Jessen-Petersen.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Kosumi emphasized the establishment of the working groups, which will discuss with Belgrade authorities on technical issues.

There are four working groups created till now and four more are to be established.

"We all know that these working group did not produce any good results in the past. However it is good that they exist," said Kosumi, adding that it will be good to establish other groups as well, so we could initiate as many technical issues with Belgrade as possible, because there are issues that need to be solved before the status.

Source: KosovaLive website, Pristina, in English 3 Feb 06