Heated Kosovo exchange at OSCE summit

The OSCE Ministerial Council session opened in Madrid, Spain, this Thursday. Serbia is represented with a delegation, headed by Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, in what might turn out to be the organization's only meeting without any agreement. Heated Kosovo exchange at OSCE summit Jeremic said in a statement to Tanjug news agency that the question of the future status of Kosovo "is absolutely dominant", and that, should a declaration on Kosovo be adopted at the end of this conference, it must contain a condemnation of possible unilateral moves. "There was an extremely heated and difficult discussion at the ministerial plenum in which [Russian] Minister [Sergei] Lavrov, [French] Minister [Bernard] Kouchner, [United States] Under Secretary [Nicholas] Burns and I took part." "A strong clash of opinions occurred between Burns and me, we had different views on the period after Dec. 10," Jeremic told the national news agency. Jeremic said that he stressed the stand of the Serbian government that "it is absolutely necessary to continue seeking a compromise." "I told them that, if we wish to be true to the values of the OSCE, we must apply those values also when resolving the extremely important and difficult question such as the future status of Kosovo and Metohija. In fact, that we must implement consensus. We cannot find a solution for the future status that is not acceptable to all the sides," Jeremic said. "And so, if we at the OSCE keep searching for solutions today, and talk and negotiate until we achieve a united position of all the member states, then we must have such a decision also on the issue of the resolving of the future status of Kosovo and Metohija," Jeremic said. The foreign minister pointed out that work must continue on finding a compromise, and asked the OSCE to support this stance. "I can say that a large number of representatives, foreign ministers of the member states, showed a high degree of understanding for such a point of view." "Naturally, there was great pressure, there are some countries that are extremely against any continuation of negotiations, extremely against the continuation of the search for a compromise solution. The struggle is extremely difficult," he said. Jeremic, who earlier in the day had almost twenty meetings with European foreign ministers, including the Russian Federation, Germany, and France, said that it is not certain for the time being whether any conclusions will be adopted by the summit, but that Serbia will insist on a condemnation of possible unilateral moves. Earlier Thursday, diplomatic sources at the Vienna seat of the OSCE told Tanjug that it was doubtful whether a single decision would be made "in view of numerous problems the OSCE faced and could hardly solve due to a confrontation between Russia and the West." One of these issues is Kosovo. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sent a clear message to Western countries ahead of the summit when he said that the Helsinki Charter on which the OSCE was based "had to be observed". The Charter calls for observing territorial integrity and sovereignty of internationally recognized countries, Lavrov said, and added that borders could be altered only through agreement. In addition to Jeremic, the issue of Kosovo will likely be brought up the delegation from the neighboring Albania. The mission in Kosovo is OSCE's largest mission in the field and has about 1,000 employees. The mandate of the mission, which will expire at the end of this year, has not been extended yet and there are slim chances that an agreement on this issue will be reached, Tanjug reports. The United States and the European Union want the OSCE mission mandate in Kosovo to be extended by another year. This was refused by Russia and Serbia, who believe this is not possible due to the fact the future status of Kosovo has not been determined yet. Russia has proposed that the mandate of the mission be extended one month at a time, until a status settlement has been reached. This stand is generally supported by Belgrade, which believes that if Kosovo Albanians unilaterally declare independence and if this was recognized by even one state, UN Security Council Resolution 1244, on which the OSCE mission's mandate in Kosovo is based, would no longer be in effect. All member-countries need to agree in order for a decision to be adopted by the OSCE Permanent Council. The text on Kosovo, which should be adopted in Madrid, is also disputed. The Contact Group is preparing a ministerial statement, but the proposal may not be submitted in the absence of agreement on the wording. Serbia believes that all unilateral moves that would lead to the destabilization of the region should be condemned in the declaration, while some other countries do not accept this. Due to this, the OSCE members most likely will not have a joint statement on Kosovo. Spanish, Serbian FMs, Miguel Angel Moratinos and Vuk Jeremic in Madrid today (Tanjug)

Heated Kosovo exchange at OSCE summit

Jeremić said in a statement to Tanjug news agency that the question of the future status of Kosovo "is absolutely dominant", and that, should a declaration on Kosovo be adopted at the end of this conference, it must contain a condemnation of possible unilateral moves.

"There was an extremely heated and difficult discussion at the ministerial plenum in which [Russian] Minister [Sergei] Lavrov, [French] Minister [Bernard] Kouchner, [United States] Under Secretary [Nicholas] Burns and I took part."

"A strong clash of opinions occurred between Burns and me, we had different views on the period after Dec. 10," Jeremić told the national news agency.

Jeremić said that he stressed the stand of the Serbian government that "it is absolutely necessary to continue seeking a compromise."

"I told them that, if we wish to be true to the values of the OSCE, we must apply those values also when resolving the extremely important and difficult question such as the future status of Kosovo and Metohija. In fact, that we must implement consensus. We cannot find a solution for the future status that is not acceptable to all the sides," Jeremić said.

"And so, if we at the OSCE keep searching for solutions today, and talk and negotiate until we achieve a united position of all the member states, then we must have such a decision also on the issue of the resolving of the future status of Kosovo and Metohija," Jeremić said.

The foreign minister pointed out that work must continue on finding a compromise, and asked the OSCE to support this stance.

"I can say that a large number of representatives, foreign ministers of the member states, showed a high degree of understanding for such a point of view."

"Naturally, there was great pressure, there are some countries that are extremely against any continuation of negotiations, extremely against the continuation of the search for a compromise solution. The struggle is extremely difficult," he said.

Jeremić, who earlier in the day had almost twenty meetings with European foreign ministers, including the Russian Federation, Germany, and France, said that it is not certain for the time being whether any conclusions will be adopted by the summit, but that Serbia will insist on a condemnation of possible unilateral moves.

Earlier Thursday, diplomatic sources at the Vienna seat of the OSCE told Tanjug that it was doubtful whether a single decision would be made "in view of numerous problems the OSCE faced and could hardly solve due to a confrontation between Russia and the West."

One of these issues is Kosovo.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sent a clear message to Western countries ahead of the summit when he said that the Helsinki Charter on which the OSCE was based "had to be observed".

The Charter calls for observing territorial integrity and sovereignty of internationally recognized countries, Lavrov said, and added that borders could be altered only through agreement.

In addition to Jeremić, the issue of Kosovo will likely be brought up the delegation from the neighboring Albania.

The mission in Kosovo is OSCE's largest mission in the field and has about 1,000 employees. The mandate of the mission, which will expire at the end of this year, has not been extended yet and there are slim chances that an agreement on this issue will be reached, Tanjug reports.

The United States and the European Union want the OSCE mission mandate in Kosovo to be extended by another year.

This was refused by Russia and Serbia, who believe this is not possible due to the fact the future status of Kosovo has not been determined yet.

Russia has proposed that the mandate of the mission be extended one month at a time, until a status settlement has been reached.

This stand is generally supported by Belgrade, which believes that if Kosovo Albanians unilaterally declare independence and if this was recognized by even one state, UN Security Council Resolution 1244, on which the OSCE mission's mandate in Kosovo is based, would no longer be in effect.

All member-countries need to agree in order for a decision to be adopted by the OSCE Permanent Council.

The text on Kosovo, which should be adopted in Madrid, is also disputed. The Contact Group is preparing a ministerial statement, but the proposal may not be submitted in the absence of agreement on the wording.

Serbia believes that all unilateral moves that would lead to the destabilization of the region should be condemned in the declaration, while some other countries do not accept this.

Due to this, the OSCE members most likely will not have a joint statement on Kosovo.