Ruecker, Samardžić meet, no progress

UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker today met with Minister for Kosovo Slobodan Samardzic in Pristina. After the meeting, the German diplomat said that "no concrete agreement was reached". Ruecker, Samardzic meet, no progress He told a news conference that he relayed UNMIK's position in the Kosovo status crisis to Samardzic, and added he asked the minister, from Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), to "refrain from violence-inciting statements", before he came to the province. Some media last night reported that UNMIK had allegedly banned Samardzic from traveling to the province today. Ruecker's explanation of this today was that although he "initially banned Samardzic from entry, he later set two conditions for him, which were fulfilled". According to the UNMIK chief, one was for the minister to "distance himself from statements inciting violence", while the other was to meet with him. Ruecker told journalists he also asked for a clarification on "whether the government in Belgrade respects UNMIK's mandate in Kosovo". "I must admit I am not entirely satisfied with Mr. Samardzic's answer. Our meeting ended with no agreement," he said. Belgrade's official position is that it accepts UNMIK and KFOR mandates, as they are in line with valid UN Resolution 1244, but rejects that of the EU mission, EULEX. Before meeting with Ruecker, Samardzic visited the enclave of Novi Badrovac, where 70 homes for the internally displaced Serbs are now being built. After the meeting, Samardzic said Belgrade is "against violence, especially that which breaks down international law". "UNMIK had a dispute with us over two administrative line posts. I explained this, I did not mention use of force and violence, because we do not support force and violence, but we have said it openly—the violence here is committed by those who breached international law," Samardzic said. He believes that the boundary disputes cannot affect those Serbs living in isolated enclaves. "Local Albanians have declared independence and there is nothing worse that could happen to the Serbs here, therefore what was done at the boundary checkpoints should not be linked with the Albanian desire to terrorize Serbs. The Albanians have been doing it for the past seven to eight years, therefore we see no connection here," the minister said. Samardzic added the main goal of his meeting with Ruecker earlier Monday was to "maintain peace and stability in Kosovo". As for the ethnic Albanian leadership in the province, a deputy premier has described the visit today as "Belgrade's provocation". "The Serbian government, unfortunately, continues with provocations concerning Kosovo's future. I hope they realize the position that Kosovo now is an independent state. They must now build bridges of cooperation with Kosovo, but they provoke us, they provoke our people, they raise tensions in Kosovo," Hajrudin Kuci was quoted as saying. Kuci spoke on behalf of UNMIK when he said that the UN mission "demands from the Serbian government to respect its executive power, according to Resolution 1244, in the entire territory of Kosovo, in all the sectors, including security, judiciary, customs and others". Samardzic, right, visits a Serb enclave today (Beta)

Ruecker, Samardžić meet, no progress

He told a news conference that he relayed UNMIK's position in the Kosovo status crisis to Samardžić, and added he asked the minister, from Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica's Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), to "refrain from violence-inciting statements", before he came to the province.

Some media last night reported that UNMIK had allegedly banned Samardžić from traveling to the province today.

Ruecker's explanation of this today was that although he "initially banned Samardžić from entry, he later set two conditions for him, which were fulfilled".

According to the UNMIK chief, one was for the minister to "distance himself from statements inciting violence", while the other was to meet with him.

Ruecker told journalists he also asked for a clarification on "whether the government in Belgrade respects UNMIK's mandate in Kosovo".

"I must admit I am not entirely satisfied with Mr. Samardžić's answer. Our meeting ended with no agreement," he said.

Belgrade's official position is that it accepts UNMIK and KFOR mandates, as they are in line with valid UN Resolution 1244, but rejects that of the EU mission, EULEX.

Before meeting with Ruecker, Samardžić visited the enclave of Novi Badrovac, where 70 homes for the internally displaced Serbs are now being built.

After the meeting, Samardžić said Belgrade is "against violence, especially that which breaks down international law".

"UNMIK had a dispute with us over two administrative line posts. I explained this, I did not mention use of force and violence, because we do not support force and violence, but we have said it openly—the violence here is committed by those who breached international law," Samardžić said.

He believes that the boundary disputes cannot affect those Serbs living in isolated enclaves.

"Local Albanians have declared independence and there is nothing worse that could happen to the Serbs here, therefore what was done at the boundary checkpoints should not be linked with the Albanian desire to terrorize Serbs. The Albanians have been doing it for the past seven to eight years, therefore we see no connection here," the minister said.

Samardžić added the main goal of his meeting with Ruecker earlier Monday was to "maintain peace and stability in Kosovo".

As for the ethnic Albanian leadership in the province, a deputy premier has described the visit today as "Belgrade's provocation".

"The Serbian government, unfortunately, continues with provocations concerning Kosovo's future. I hope they realize the position that Kosovo now is an independent state. They must now build bridges of cooperation with Kosovo, but they provoke us, they provoke our people, they raise tensions in Kosovo," Hajrudin Kuci was quoted as saying.

Kuci spoke on behalf of UNMIK when he said that the UN mission "demands from the Serbian government to respect its executive power, according to Resolution 1244, in the entire territory of Kosovo, in all the sectors, including security, judiciary, customs and others".