Troika works under UN mandate

Troika works under UN mandate

“We had a good first meeting. The group is here in order to explain its mandate and its role. This is only the first part of a continued process that will lead us to December and we expect good continuity,” Ischinger said.

December 10 is the deadline for the group to submit its report to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon.

However, Ischinger could not confirm that the date was at the same time a deadline for the Kosovo status talks to end.

The U.S. representative, Frank Wisner, said the international mediators will work to find a solution acceptable to both sides.

“We are here with a mandate from the UN secretary-general, our job is to work here and we will turn every stone to find a solution acceptable to both sides,” Wisner said.

“We are absolutely determined to work on all available options in order to find a solution that will bring peace to Serbia, and Kosovo,” Beta quoted the U.S. diplomat.

Russia’s Alexandar Botsan-Kharchenko told reporters that his country was a part of the Troika, stressing it will contribute to the work of the Contact Group mediators constructively.

A news conference scheduled earlier was cancelled, and the officials instead addressed journalists in front of the presidency building where the meeting took place.

No further details from the meeting have emerged so far.

The meeting with Ischinger, Wisner and Kharchenko was also attended by ministers Slobodan Samardžić and Vuk Jeremić.

The EU, U.S. and Russia envoys arrived in Belgrade after a meeting in London Thursday.

The BBC reported, quoting its diplomatic sources, that Kharchenko repeated his country’s position yesterday that the upcoming talks between Belgrade and Priština must not be limited in time.

The United States and the EU oppose this.

Another point where the Troika members failed to see eye to eye concerns the plan for the province’s future status produced by UN Special Kosovo Envoy Martti Ahtisaari.

While Moscow dismisses the plan as dead, other Troika members believe the blueprint is the best solution.

At the same time, the British Foreign Office sees today’s meetings in Belgrade as the start of shuttle diplomacy.

The same sources added that the Contract Group gave the Troika a mandate to decide on how to conduct the imminent talks.

The group’s envoys will travel to Priština Saturday for talks with top Kosovo Albanian officials.