Wednesday, September 27, 2006

U.S. says Kosovo unstable, needs clarity this year

PRISTINA, Serbia, Sept 27 (Reuters) - The breakaway Serbian province of Kosovo is not stable and its future must be resolved this year, a United States envoy said on Wednesday.

"We must move ahead now," U.S. Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried told reporters in the provincial capital Pristina.

"... the present situation is not inherently stable," he said after meeting leaders of Kosovo's pro-independence ethnic Albanian majority.

The comments reflect concern in the West that delaying a decision into next year on whether to grant the United Nations-run province independence risks fresh violence, a fear underlined in late summer by hand grenade attacks on Serbs.

"We hope to have a negotiated settlement this year," he said. "The people of Kosovo deserve greater clarity and as we approach the end of the year I suspect they will get greater clarity," Fried added.

Russia, Serbia's traditional ally in the U.N. Security Council, has cautioned against "artificial deadlines" -- insisting Serbia and Kosovo's Albanians be given time to reach a negotiated settlement in talks that began in February.

Washington and the major European powers are pushing for a decision this year. They instructed U.N. mediator Martti Ahtisaari last week to draw up his proposal, which Western officials say could be submitted to both sides by November.

Diplomats say independence is the likely outcome, but will almost certainly be rejected by Serbia.

The territory of 2 million people -- 90 percent of whom are Albanians -- has been run by the United Nations since 1999, when NATO bombed for 78 days to drive out Serb forces accused of ethnic cleansing in a two-year counter-insurgency war.

In the Serbian capital Belgrade on Tuesday, Fried said Serb leaders had not lobbied Washington for a delay. Reports say Belgrade fears a Kosovo body-blow would drive voters into the arms of ultranationalists in elections that appear imminent.

At a news conference on Wednesday with Fried, the political director of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Michael Scheffer, said the status solution "needs to be a solution that reflects the will of the Kosovo people ... but does not humiliate anyone in particular".

Rich in Serb Orthodox Christian heritage and still home to 100,000 Serbs, Kosovo holds almost mythic status for many Serbs.

The diplomats warned that violence would be "detrimental" and urged tolerance towards Serbs, a ghettoised minority.

"National triumphalism in the Balkans has had its day, and it was a miserable day," said Fried.

Fried visits the mainly Serb north on Thursday, where there are signs of resistance and talk of secession as a decision nears. The north already functions as a parallel system propped up by Belgrade. (Additional reporting by Shaban Buza)

2 comments:

Dr Purva Pius said...

Hello Everybody,
My name is Mrs Sharon Sim. I live in Singapore and i am a happy woman today? and i told my self that any lender that rescue my family from our poor situation, i will refer any person that is looking for loan to him, he gave me happiness to me and my family, i was in need of a loan of S$250,000.00 to start my life all over as i am a single mother with 3 kids I met this honest and GOD fearing man loan lender that help me with a loan of S$250,000.00 SG. Dollar, he is a GOD fearing man, if you are in need of loan and you will pay back the loan please contact him tell him that is Mrs Sharon, that refer you to him. contact Dr Purva Pius,via email:(urgentloan22@gmail.com) Thank you.

BORROWERS APPLICATION DETAILS


1. Name Of Applicant in Full:……..
2. Telephone Numbers:……….
3. Address and Location:…….
4. Amount in request………..
5. Repayment Period:………..
6. Purpose Of Loan………….
7. country…………………
8. phone…………………..
9. occupation………………
10.age/sex…………………
11.Monthly Income…………..
12.Email……………..

Regards.
Managements
Email Kindly Contact: urgentloan22@gmail.com

Mrs.Irene Query said...

MRS. IRENE QUERY FINANCE IS THE BEST PLACE TO GET A LOAN {mrsirenequery@gmail.com}

God bless you Mum, I will not stop telling the world about your kindness in my life, I am a single mum with kids to look after. My name is Mrs.Rachel Alex, and I am from Singapore . A couple of weeks ago My friend visited me and along our discussion she told me about MRS.IRENE QUERY FINANCE, that they can help me out of my financial situation, I never believed cause I have spend so much money on different loan lenders who did nothing other than running away with my money. I have been in a financial mess for the pass 7 months now,She advised I give it a try so I mailed her and explain all about my financial situation to her, she therefore took me through the loan process and gave me a loan of $180,000.00 at a very low interest rate of 3% and today I am a proud business owner and can now take good care of my kids, If you must contact any firm to get any amount of loan you need with a low interest rate of 3% and better repayment schedule, please contact MRS.IRENE QUERY FINANCE via email{mrsirenequery@gmail.com}