05 June 2007

Romania's PM advises flexibility in Sebia-Kosovo negotiations

XINHUA (CHINA), Friday, February 09, 2007 3:29 PM

 

BUCHAREST, Feb 9, 2007 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu on Friday urged Serbia and Kosovo to be flexible in their negotiations over the future status of the latter.

 

"My message is to advise flexibility in negotiations to both Serbia and the Kosovo leaders, so that a constructive conclusion be reached as soon as possible", the prime minister told the press conference occasioned by the visit to Bucharest of his Croatian counterpart Ivo Sanader.

 

"Romania is extremely interested in the subject and has closely followed Ahtisaari's efforts to ensure the region's stability and take it closer to Euro-Atlantic structures," said Tariceanu, answering a question about how Romania appreciates the recent propositions for the future status of the Kosovo province made by UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari.

 

He underscored that Romania "appreciates the envoy's activity and supports his mission and his mandate".

 

In Tariceanu's opinion, "the propositions tabled by Ahtisaari a week ago represent a negotiation basis for the Serbs and Kosovars and the final solution has to ground on an agreement Belgrade and Pristina need to reach on these propositions."

 

In his turn, Croatian Premier Sanader underscored the historical importance of the Ahtisaari plan and said that his country supports the region's stabilization.

 

The UN special envoy remitted Serbian President Boris Tadic the draft resolution for the status of the Kosovo province on February 2, leaving then for Pristina to meet with the Kosovar and Albanian leaders.

 

The UN representative described his proposition as the outcome of a compromise reached after almost one year of talks between Belgrade and Pristina, and said it comprises a set of guarantees for the Serbs and the other minorities in Kosovo.

 

Ahtisaari highlighted the guaranteed participation of minorities in the Kosovo Assembly and government, the establishment "of a certain number of new municipalities" with a majority of Serbian population and the protection of Orthodox churches in Kosovo.

 

Ahtisaari announced that after the tabling of his proposal, Belgrade and Pristina will have several weeks to express their objections. He also voiced hopes that this spring he will be able to submit a final proposition to the Security Council.

 

In a statement after the meeting with the UN representative, Boris Tadic said that the draft proposition "opens the gates to an independent Kosovo".