Serbian official criticizes UN report on Kosovo

BBCM, May 29, 2005 6:50 AM

Excerpt from report in English by Belgrade-based Radio B92 text website on 29 May

New York, 28 May: The United Nations is expected to name a specialized representative who will be responsible for assessing the progress of standard implementation in Kosovo this month.

After yesterday''s meeting of the UN Security Council, where Kosovo was the main topic of discussion, Kosovo governor Soeren Jessen-Petersen said that members of UNMIK believe that considerable progress has been made in Kosovo. In a telephoned statement to Belgrade reporters, Petersen said that it is time to focus on implementing the most important standards, such as the return of refugees to the region.

However, he added that he does not expect that many people will want to return at this point and time.

"On one hand, there are many people who have left the region and do not plan on ever coming back to Kosovo. The other group is waiting for the final status of Kosovo to be determined. I think that in this case, numbers are not important; rather progress should be measured in creating satisfactory conditions for the return process. We must now be convinced that Belgrade truly wishes to cooperate with Pristina officials in order to make return efforts possible. Individual statements coming from Belgrade must be prudent. There are often statements being released that compare the situation in Kosovo to Nazi Germany. These kinds of statements will not convince people to return to their homes. Statements must be honest and accurate, but I think it would be helpful if Belgrade would with its statements try to convince refugees to make the decision to return rather than frighten and demoralize them," Petersen said. [Passage omitted]

President of the Kosovo Coordination Center, Nebojsa Covic said before the UN Security Council that UNMIK''s report does not show the real situation in Kosovo, and said that it is wrong to assume that freedom of movement standards have been established in all municipalities.

He also denied the claims that Belgrade does not wish to encourage Serbs to return to Kosovo.

"We honestly hope that we will able to be witnesses to change and that UNMIK officials, temporary institution officials and local administrations will agree to give us control of the protocol for organizing the return mission that would take this process from the standstill which it is currently at, and make it effective. This also includes stronger measures that must be taken to force out those who have through threats and violence occupied Serbian property," Covic said.

Covic reiterated that Belgrade is completely ready to begin direct dialogue in order to find a peaceful and lasting solution in Kosovo and warned that discussion topics cannot be organized with this report in mind, because standards have yet to be fulfilled at a satisfactory level.

"If regardless of this, it is decided that status talks should begin in the next several months, they will be plagued by extremist Albanian leaders who will consider this decision by the international community as a chance for a political ethnic cleansing. The question of the future status of Kosovo must be solved through agreements and compromises and before all, a complete regard for the basic international principles of maintaining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia and the federal union of Serbia-Montenegro," Covic said. [Passage omitted]

Source: Radio B92 text website, Belgrade, in English 2019 gmt 29 May 05

BBC Monitoring