U.S., EU, NATO strongly condemn court unrest

The U.S. condemned "in the strongest terms" the entry of Serb workers to the Kosovska Mitrovica court yesterday. Washington's office in Pristina described the incident as "destruction of property and forced entry". U.S., EU, NATO strongly condemn court unrest A statement issued by the office said that the Friday developments in northern Kosovska Mitrovica "directly clashed with UN Security Council Resolution 1244". "There is no justification for such use of violence which is a direct attack at the UN authority," the statement said. "We strongly support the announcement of the secretary-general's special representative that UNMIK would take steps aimed at restoring order and law and ensuring that the court building be under UN control," the statement said. Serb members of the judiciary in Kosovska Mitrovica, who have staged protests requesting to get their jobs back, early yesterday broke through a police cordon and gates of the Municipal and District Courts, entered the building and hoisted a Serbian flag. Slovenia, which holds the rotating EU presidency, also strongly condemned the developments in northern Kosovo Friday. "No one will benefit from the use of violence and attacks on legal institutions in Kosovo. We emphasize that the safety of civilians must not be jeopardized," a statement said. Slovenia also called for "full respect of UN SC Resolution 1244", and UNMIK's mandate in Kosovo. Ljubljana joined Joachim Ruecker's calls yesterday to Belgrade to "respect the promise expressed earlier that it will refrain from any activity or statement that could compromise the security situation in Kosovo". "The EU continues to carefully monitor the situation in the field," the statement ended. NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, who was visiting the province yesterday, called on the Kosovo leaders to "continue to keep the political and security situation under their control ". He described the entry of Serb judicial workers to the court building in Kosovska Mitrovica as an "attack on UNMIK, and on the international community". But he added that none of the local or international officials had asked NATO to restore order there, "since this falls under the police jurisdiction". Scheffer was also in northern Kosovo yesterday, where he rejected the possibility of the province's partition. The Serb leaders there refused to meet with him.

U.S., EU, NATO strongly condemn court unrest

A statement issued by the office said that the Friday developments in northern Kosovska Mitrovica "directly clashed with UN Security Council Resolution 1244".

"There is no justification for such use of violence which is a direct attack at the UN authority," the statement said.

"We strongly support the announcement of the secretary-general's special representative that UNMIK would take steps aimed at restoring order and law and ensuring that the court building be under UN control," the statement said.

Serb members of the judiciary in Kosovska Mitrovica, who have staged protests requesting to get their jobs back, early yesterday broke through a police cordon and gates of the Municipal and District Courts, entered the building and hoisted a Serbian flag.

Slovenia, which holds the rotating EU presidency, also strongly condemned the developments in northern Kosovo Friday.

"No one will benefit from the use of violence and attacks on legal institutions in Kosovo. We emphasize that the safety of civilians must not be jeopardized," a statement said.

Slovenia also called for "full respect of UN SC Resolution 1244", and UNMIK's mandate in Kosovo.

Ljubljana joined Joachim Ruecker's calls yesterday to Belgrade to "respect the promise expressed earlier that it will refrain from any activity or statement that could compromise the security situation in Kosovo".

"The EU continues to carefully monitor the situation in the field," the statement ended.

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, who was visiting the province yesterday, called on the Kosovo leaders to "continue to keep the political and security situation under their control ".

He described the entry of Serb judicial workers to the court building in Kosovska Mitrovica as an "attack on UNMIK, and on the international community".

But he added that none of the local or international officials had asked NATO to restore order there, "since this falls under the police jurisdiction".

Scheffer was also in northern Kosovo yesterday, where he rejected the possibility of the province's partition. The Serb leaders there refused to meet with him.