"Solution found" for Priština's participation at conference

A solution has been found for Belgrade and Pristina officials participating at the informal regional EU-Western Balkans conference in Slovenia. Belgrade daily Danas writes that Kosovo has accepted to participate in the conference under the name UNMIK/Kosovo. "Solution found" for Pristina's participation at conference The daily writes that the officials participating in the conference, expected to take place on March 20, will only have their names in front of them, without listing the country they represent. Slovenia will invite the Kosovo Albanian government officials and UNMIK representatives to the conference, Danas confirmed in a conversation with Slovenian embassy official in Belgrade Jadranka Sturm-Kocjan. "The organizers will invite senior officials of the Pristina institutions and UNMIK officials as participants from Kosovo. The material for the conference is expected to clearly state that Kosovo is participating under the name UNMIK/Kosovo," she said, adding that UNMIK officials will speak before the Kosovo politicians. The daily cites sources in Brussels, stating that Kosovo President and Prime Minister Fatmir Sejdiu and Hashim Thaci have agreed to these conditions. Serbian President Boris Tadic said earlier that Serbia has nothing against Pristina's participation at international meetings, as long as they are represented as UNMIK/Kosovo. However, his cabinet could not comment on this information, because a formal invitation to the conference has yet to arrive to Belgrade. Kosovo to participate "as state" Kosovo Albanian government spokesman Memli Krasniqi has denied for KIM Radio that Sejdiu and Thaci will be in Kranj as representatives of UNMIK/Kosovo. Krasniqi said that Kosovo will “always and everywhere be represented as an independent and sovereign state". He pointed out that the reports were "incorrect", and announced that Kosovo representatives would participate as representatives of a "sovereign state of Kosovo". Reports that Pristina representatives would take part in the conference under the name UNMIK/Kosovo appeared in the Albanian language daily Koha Ditore, that quoted its diplomatic sources in Brussels. The Slovenian embassy has confirmed for the newspaper that "both representatives of UNMIK and Kosovo will be invited to the summit".

"Solution found" for Priština's participation at conference

The daily writes that the officials participating in the conference, expected to take place on March 20, will only have their names in front of them, without listing the country they represent.

Slovenia will invite the Kosovo Albanian government officials and UNMIK representatives to the conference, Danas confirmed in a conversation with Slovenian embassy official in Belgrade Jadranka Šturm-Kocjan.

"The organizers will invite senior officials of the Priština institutions and UNMIK officials as participants from Kosovo. The material for the conference is expected to clearly state that Kosovo is participating under the name UNMIK/Kosovo," she said, adding that UNMIK officials will speak before the Kosovo politicians.

The daily cites sources in Brussels, stating that Kosovo President and Prime Minister Fatmir Sejdiu and Hashim Thaci have agreed to these conditions.

Serbian President Boris Tadić said earlier that Serbia has nothing against Priština's participation at international meetings, as long as they are represented as UNMIK/Kosovo.

However, his cabinet could not comment on this information, because a formal invitation to the conference has yet to arrive to Belgrade.

Kosovo to participate "as state"

Kosovo Albanian government spokesman Memli Krasniqi has denied for KIM Radio that Sejdiu and Thaci will be in Kranj as representatives of UNMIK/Kosovo.

Krasniqi said that Kosovo will “always and everywhere be represented as an independent and sovereign state".

He pointed out that the reports were "incorrect", and announced that Kosovo representatives would participate as representatives of a "sovereign state of Kosovo".

Reports that Priština representatives would take part in the conference under the name UNMIK/Kosovo appeared in the Albanian language daily Koha Ditore, that quoted its diplomatic sources in Brussels.

The Slovenian embassy has confirmed for the newspaper that "both representatives of UNMIK and Kosovo will be invited to the summit".