Text of report in English by Slovene news agency STA
Pristina, 12 November: Slovenian President Janez Drnovsek outlined his Kosovo status plan during a visit to the restive province on Saturday [12 November]. Drnovsek met representatives of the UN Mission to Kosovo (UNMIK) and Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova, while also visiting several Serb Orthodox monasteries.
Kicking off the visit in Pristina, Drnovsek met senior UNMIK representative Jean Dussord and his team to present the details of the nine-point plan for the future of Kosovo, which envisages independence for the province given that certain conditions are met.
According to Drnovsek's foreign policy adviser Ivo Vajgl, who accompanied Drnovsek on the visit, UNMIK representatives stressed that they value Slovenia's contribution to international efforts to ensure stability in Kosovo.
Vajgl said that UNMIK officials believe negotiations on the future status of Kosovo will demand a high degree of willingness from both Serbian and Kosovo officials to compromise, as well as a need for all parties who are familiar with the situation to contribute to a final solution.
UNMIK officials believe that maintaining status quo would be the worst solution for Kosovo, as it would only lead to greater problems, Vajgl told STA.
Meeting Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova, Drnovsek stressed the importance of protecting the Serb minority in the province and giving it sufficient autonomy. Part of this includes the protection of sacred Serb sites, he said.
Drnovsek pointed to his proposal that a number of key Serb sites be given ex-territorial status and provided international protection as part of the efforts to settle the status of Kosovo.
Continuing his visit, which came at the invitation of the Serb Orthodox Church, Drnovsek visited the 14th century Orthodox monastery at Gracanica, as well as Orthodox monasteries at Pec and Decani, which are earmarked for ex-territorial status under his plan.
Drnovsek's visit comes just two weeks after his official visit to Serbia was cancelled by the Serbian authorities in the aftermath of his unveiling of a plan for the status of Kosovo.
While Serbian leaders were angered at his statement that independence was the only realistic option for the province, Kosovo Albanians said his proposal was less than what they demand.
Drnovsek went on the visit despite advice from the Slovenian Foreign Ministry against it. The ministry, which has distanced itself from Drnovsek's plan, said on Friday that the visit should not go ahead because the head of the UN Mission to Kosovo (UNMIK) Soeren Jessen-Petersen is not expected to be in the province.
Source: STA news agency, Ljubljana, in English 1525 gmt 12 Nov 05
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
The Serbian goverment is being isolated more as the time draws closer to the day when Kosova will be declared an independent State.
Thinking about it I have never read or heard a serbian prespective on how Kosovo gaining independence will make the reagion less stable.I would like to express disappointment in Croatian goverment of not having a clear view on this issue (have they forgotten that they had in their army ranks albanians that protected Croatia from invasion by serbs) that includes Bosnia as well.
Post a Comment