UN Security Council debate on Kosovo future welcomed by both sides

ADN KRONOS INTERNATIONAL (ITALY)

Belgrade, May 30 (AKI) - Kosovo's majority ethnic Albanians and minority Serbs have expressed their satisfaction with the United Nations Security Council debate last Friday, dedicated to the problems in the province, each focusing on the part of the debate which worked in their favour. The representatives of the two ethnic groups, however, differed significantly in their assessments of the UN report on Kosovo, submitted to the Council by Soren Jessen Petersen, the chief administrator in the province, which has been under UN control since 1999. Ethnic Albanians praised his view that Kosovo's transitional authorities have made significant progress in fulfilling human rights and democratic standards set by the international community to pave the way for talks on the final status of the province, where ethnic Albanians demand independence. Serbs, on the other hand, accused Petersen of taking pro-Albanian stance and of fostering their independence.

"Petersen's report was fixed up and embellished the reality in Kosovo", said Marko Jaksic, president of the Serb National Council of Kosovo. "It's a pro-Albanian approach which charts the course to Kosovo's independence", he added.

Kosovo government spokesman Daut Dauti said he highly praised Petersen's report and that the UN debate gave "recognition to the [Kosovo] government's work and its efforts to realise the standards and to create a democratic society".

Other ethnic Albanian politicians also expressed satisfaction with the course of the Security Council debate, particularly welcoming secretary general Kofi Annan's decision to appoint a special representative who would assess overall fulfillment of the standards in July.

The Serbian government coordinator for Kosovo, Nebojsa Covic, who defended Belgrade's position before the Security Council and sharply criticised Petersen's report, said he was pleased that in the debate Annan's position prevailed - that is the assessment that some progress has been made but that none of the standards have been completely fulfilled.

Belgrade opposes Kosovo independence, though it has no authority in the province since it was put under UN control, and is offering ethnic Albanians a large autonomy instead, with equal autonomy and self-rule for the remaining Serbs in the province. Over 200.000 Serbs and other non-Albanians have fled Kosovo since 1999, and the Serbian government insists on their return and guarantees for their security and freedom of movement. (Vpr/Aki)

30-May-05 14:03