BELGRADE (AP)--A U.S. envoy urged Belgrade officials Monday to play a "constructive role" in the ongoing Kosovo talks, as Serbia announced it would soon come up with a specific proposal for the future autonomy of its U.N.-run province.
Frank Wisner, who is the U.S. representative in the U.N.-brokered negotiations on the future status of Kosovo, met Serbian leaders as part of a tour of the region that also included visits to Kosovo and Macedonia.
Wisner met with Serbia's Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, President Boris Tadic and Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic.
The visit is aimed at giving fresh impetus to the U.N. efforts to negotiate the final status of the province of 2 million, which has been an international protectorate since 1999 NATO bombing forced Serbia to end a crackdown against the separatist rebels and pull out.
Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority insists on independence, while its Serb minority and Belgrade are seeking to keep Kosovo at least formally within Serbia's boundaries.
In Belgrade, Wisner focused "on strengthening relationships with Serbia's leaders" and urged them "to play a constructive role in the ongoing negotiations to ensure a peaceful, democratic Kosovo that protects the rights of all its residents," the U.S. embassy said in a statement.
A statement from Kostunica's office, issued after the meeting, quoted Wisner as saying "it would be very important that the Serbs join the work of the interim institutions in Kosovo," which they have boycotted since last year's election, complaining of discrimination.
The statement also quoted Kostunica as telling Wisner that independence for Kosovo would be "unacceptable" for Serbia, and would "present a dangerous precedent, to impose a solution on a democratic country and strip it of part of its territory."
Instead, Kostunica said, the solution for Kosovo should be a compromise, and "all extremist solutions should be left behind."
"Belgrade will soon present a concrete proposal for the autonomy of the province in accordance with European standards," Kostunica was quoted as saying.
The ethnic Albanians in Kosovo in the past have rejected any proposals that fall short of independence.
Serbian media and officials blasted Wisner ahead of the visit for allegedly saying in Macedonia that the best solution for Kosovo was that it become an independent state.
The U.N.-mediated talks on Kosovo's future, which began in February, aim at finding a settlement by the end of the year.
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16 comments:
Yeah leave all the extremist solutions should be left behind - such as those that would force 95% of the population of a country to live under a country who doesn't recognize them. I think what is happening to Hamas should happen to Serbia - total isolation until these pigs see independence of Kosova as the only way for peace in the Balkans.
Gee, I can't wait for that proposal from Kostunica. I wonder if it comes with an Easter egg.
Serbia or Koshtuna are waiting for some sort of a 'deal'. Basically he will demand something so that it does not seem like Kosova was taken away from Serbia. This demand will only piss off the international community due to the fact that Serbia has more then once ignored the orders or higher powers. In the end Kosova is recognized as proper and Independent while Serbia declares this as a poaching of it's statehood. Thus upsetting thousands of ultra-nationalist leading to a campaing of rage against non-serbs (Hungarians,Bosniacs,Croats, and what's left of Albanians) in Serbia. Koshtunica may be smart enough to send the army down south to Kosova thus again leading to another NATO campaing. The Albanians in Kosova with fresh wounds would initiate this as Serbia wanting to wipe what's left of the Albanian race and thus the KPC will be sent and eventualy a war between Kosova and Serbia. Also what's left of Serbians in Kosova will leave but before doing so they will blaze their property on fire as a sign of PRO-Serbia or Pro-Nothing.
Is that enough information of looking into the future?
Independence, pretty good prediction but I wouldn't put so much weight on NATO. However I'do agree on the war, its inevitable.
ALbanians have to be constructive. Why are they so adamant in controlling Serb areas? Do they want ready access to them so they can ethnically cleanse them? That is the only reason I can thing of. Why can't Albanians see that Serbs are residents of Serbia and will always be citizens of Serbia not some nonsense Kosovo country.
Albanians have offered decentralization but serbs want ties with serbia. That is the issue and not some desire to cleanse Kosova. AS soon as serb soldiers left our objective had been reached. When independence is announced that will the end of this affair. As Albert Rohan said, we will create conditions for you to stay whether you stay or not its your problem.
The Albanian idea of decentralization is to be involved in Serb dealings with Serbia proper. Serbs want to deal with Serbia directly-Albanians oppose that for some odd bizarre reason that is basically unknown to all. Albanians will not do anything that the Serbs will want to do, that is why Serbs want direct relations with Belgrade.
If we get to have same connections with albanian areas throughout Balkans then I agree serbs should have theirs too.
If its unfair, let's have the same deal for everybody. That's what we Albanians have been asking over the last century.
Kosmet are you really that bright? What the Kosova Government has proposed is very constructive. Kosova is trying to set out special rights for Serbs under the state/country of Kosova while Serbia wants to cut Kosova into triple so they can create Krahina-like provinces. That is very unacceptable. The serbs can not in any way propose for such a big portion of Kosova when in fact they did not fight to liberate it. So serbs get such large autonomy and have direct ties with Serbia? Are you kidding me? Like I said in some other posts here "the serbs are never satisfied."
Serbia instead of accepting for the Balkan Holocausts and just letting countries free and liberated, Serbia picks to "keep a fight" and claim lands over mythical history. Let us be free and you can fuck off freely.
Kosmet if you want, we'll give you a portion (small) of Kosova to join GREATER SERBIA while Kosova and Albania and Cameria and Presheva valley and a big chunk of Macedonia and lands in Montenegro and lands up till Pazari i Ri are united under DARDANIA. Also Hungary gets Vojvodina. Your dreams of Greater Serbia are over, you killed hundreds of thousands of people now no one gives a crap about any demands...as if you are in such a position to be making any.
Do u know what i cant wait for?
Icant wait for the veto. The veto that we will get from eather china or russia. So even if all u albanians get what u want it will be stopted.
and what do u think will hapen if u get independance what will the serbians do?
Kosovo is not part of a greater Serbia, it is a part of Serbia.
That is very unacceptable-Why is Belgrade rule of Serb areas of Kosovo unnacceptable?
Dream on sewerbeings! Kosova was part of serbia of yugoslavia. But no more. Nyouhouselawyer keep antagonizing motherfucker. Remember Krajina! You didnt agree to anything internationals were giving you and ended up with nothing oh wait 500000 refugees of course. Croats tore up your asses o shall we.
You worry about other people and you have massmurderers and rapist right in your government. Take care of your own shit first.
you albanians complain too much, What did albanians do for kosovo, it was Serbia and Serbian Soliders who fought and died to keep Kosovo and other Serbian states from being taken over by the ottoman empire and the Austro-Hungarian empire. name one thing that Albania did for Kosovo. just because 90% of the kosovo population is ethnic albanians dosent give them a right to take our land.
i think its funny how the U.S and the west are fighting a war on terror, yet they are helping countries that are a haven for terrorists.
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