Koštunica adviser: Time to return to Kosovo

An adviser to the prime minister says the time has come for a number of Serbian troops to return to Kosovo. Aleksandar Simic told reporters Friday that UN Resolution 1244, which guarantees Serbia's sovereignty, also provides for the possibility of redeployment of a number of Serbian police and soldiers to the province. Kostunica adviser: Time to return to Kosovo "We believe the time is right for this," he said, echoing a statement made Wednesday by one of the Kosovo Serb leaders, Marko Jaksic. According to Simic, "Albanian separatist leaders in Kosovo have demonstrated they do not in fact wish to negotiate" in the coming renewed status talks between Belgrade and Pristina. "This is yet further evidence that the only force that can make the Kosovo Albanians negotiate is the United States. If that country were to give up its bid to create a NATO state in the Balkans, real negotiations would be possible, producing a compromise, sorely needed for the Balkan and European stability," Simic said. Asked whether repeated claims made by state officials from Kostunica's Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), accusing NATO of a conspiracy to set up its own state in the region, meant that Serbia had given up on its previous policy of becoming a NATO member, he said the government "did not discuss this issue." "This was not discussed in cabinet meetings since this is not an issue for the government. The government has adopted its Partnership for Peace presentation document. This [Partnership for Peace] is an organization that gathers countries such as Russia, Belarus and others," Simic said, adding only that "this was the direction taken by Serbia's defense and foreign policy." The Alliance reacted Thursday to a week-long series of public accusations against it coming from Belgrade, by denying the U.S. planned to turn Kosovo into a "NATO state", Reuters reported. "NATO has no intention of forming a state in Kosovo since it is here in a peacekeeping mission," Brigadier General Douglas Earhart told a news conference in the east Kosovo town of Gnjilane. "The United Nations, European Union and United States are all involved in the process to decide Kosovo's status," the general said. NATO peacekeepers in Kosovska Mitrovica. Some in Belgrade say they are

Koštunica adviser: Time to return to Kosovo

"We believe the time is right for this," he said, echoing a statement made Wednesday by one of the Kosovo Serb leaders, Marko Jakšić.

According to Simić, "Albanian separatist leaders in Kosovo have demonstrated they do not in fact wish to negotiate" in the coming renewed status talks between Belgrade and Priština.

"This is yet further evidence that the only force that can make the Kosovo Albanians negotiate is the United States. If that country were to give up its bid to create a NATO state in the Balkans, real negotiations would be possible, producing a compromise, sorely needed for the Balkan and European stability," Simić said.

Asked whether repeated claims made by state officials from Koštunica's Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), accusing NATO of a conspiracy to set up its own state in the region, meant that Serbia had given up on its previous policy of becoming a NATO member, he said the government "did not discuss this issue."

"This was not discussed in cabinet meetings since this is not an issue for the government. The government has adopted its Partnership for Peace presentation document. This [Partnership for Peace] is an organization that gathers countries such as Russia, Belarus and others," Simić said, adding only that "this was the direction taken by Serbia's defense and foreign policy."

The Alliance reacted Thursday to a week-long series of public accusations against it coming from Belgrade, by denying the U.S. planned to turn Kosovo into a "NATO state", Reuters reported.

"NATO has no intention of forming a state in Kosovo since it is here in a peacekeeping mission," Brigadier General Douglas Earhart told a news conference in the east Kosovo town of Gnjilane.

"The United Nations, European Union and United States are all involved in the process to decide Kosovo's status," the general said.