Ahtisaari in Belgrade and Priština tomorrow

Ahtisaari in Belgrade and Priština tomorrow

In the hours leading up to the presentation of Ahtisaari’s proposal, speculations as to the contents of the plan are rife. Reuters News Agency reports that it found a copy of the document which bears no mention the sovereignty of Serbia over Kosovo or of independence for the province.

According to the Reuters’ report, the plan includes provisions which could enable the ethnic Albanian majority in Kosovo to proclaim independence and could allow for the individual recognition of its secession by certain states. Kosovo would have some trappings of the state, including state symbols, a flag and an anthem, all reflecting its multiethnic character. Kosovo would also be granted control over its borders.

As Reuters explains, the proposal includes the formation of a professional, multiethnic security service equipped with light weaponry and controlled by a civic body.

The Agency also reported that the plan will most likely fail to satisfy the expectations of Kosovo’s Albanian majority.

Ahtisaari’s spokesperson Remi Dourlot would not confirm if the speculations were true, stating that UNOSEK gave copies of the proposal only to the UN Secretary General and Contact Group members.

“Many claim to have seen the plan. Perhaps they did, but there is no proof that what they saw is genuine”, Dourlot added.

The Foreign Ministry of Sweden Carl Bildt said in Priština that Ahtisaari was to bring the working plan and, not a final version, of the document.

Bildt confirmed that the position of Sweden regarding Kosovo’s status will remain in line with the stance taken by the European Union.  He added that the presentation of this document to Belgrade and Priština represents the beginning of a fresh dialogue on the subject.

“Partial political vacuum”

Advisor to the Serbian prime minister Slobodan Samardžić says Belgrade and Priština cannot continue talks until the formation of the new government with full legitimacy to resume negotiations.

Samardžić told the state television that, for the same reason, Belgrade negotiating team cannot undertake any of its basic activities.

“If he expected a correct and a dynamic reaction from the government, Ahtisaari should’ve waited for it to be formed”, Samardžić said, adding that the UN special Kosovo envoy “must be patient” until such time when the parliament and the government have been constituted, when “things will go back to normal”.

Meanwhile, president Tadić’s advisor Leon Kojen says a delay in the presentation of the Kosovo status proposal “would have secured a normal negotiating process”.

Kojen believes Ahtisaari will show understanding for the current situation in Serbia and wait for the new cabinet to be formed in order to continue the talks, “without insisting on quick consultations”.

“He arrives here at a time when there’s partial political vacuum in Serbia, which is not helpful, but that, of course, doesn’t mean Serbia will welcome him unprepared”, Kojen added.

“Our team’s negotiating platform remains the same, and the only one who can at this point represent it with full political and legal capacity is the president, which he intends to do when he meets with Ahtisaari and learns about his proposal”, Kojen concluded.

Romanian president opposes imposed solutions

Romanian president Traian Basescu believes 2007 will be the year in which the Balkans will “face the truth”, as the international community is called on to prove it can come up with a sustainable solution for Kosovo’s disputed status.

In a speech before the European Parliament Basescu said he hoped that solution would not be imposed or accelerated and urged for it to contribute to a clear European future for the Western Balkans countries.