Romania's position on Kosovo unchanged, NATO told

Romanian President Traian Basescu says his country's position on Kosovo is unchanged and that the Romanian army will continue to be a part of KFOR. The NATO mission in Kosovo "needs to be neutral", Basescu added. Romania's position on Kosovo unchanged, NATO told "Our political stand on the Kosovo issue remains unchanged, Romania will not recognize Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence until Belgrade and Pristina reach an agreement," Basescu said. The Romanian president added that Romania's stand will remain the same regarding the position of NATO, KFOR actions and content of allied documents, the Romanian national agency Agerpres reported. "We want them to be balanced, status-neutral and with no implicit recognition of Kosovo," Basescu specified in his address to a plenary session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Bucharest, held October 7-10. The Romanian president underlined that his country will continue its military participation in KFOR as part of NATO. Serbian amendments Meanwhile, it was said in Belgrade that the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) adopted during its annual meeting in Bucharest all the amendments which the permanent delegation of the Serbian parliament filed as regards the report by the Committee on Economics and Security concerning the mentioning of Kosovo-Metohija's status as an independent state. Head of the permanent delegation Marko Djurisic and NATO PA President Karl Lamers met on the margins of the annual assembly, after which a joint release on the situation in Kosovo-Metohija was drafted, in which they called on all sides to find a peaceful political solution and reach a compromise. In the release, Lamers and Djurisic called for a peaceful political resolution of problems since this is the best way to find solutions that would respect equal rights of all citizens. Lamers and Djurisic called on all relevant sides to remain committed to the search for a compromise solution that would meet everyone's interests, and expressed belief that a dialogue is the only way to achieve a constructive and long-lasting solution to all open issues. This is why we call on all participants in the matter to refrain from unilateral actions and inflammable statements that could produce negative consequences to the already sensitive situation in the region, since such activities are not compatible with efforts aimed at finding an acceptable solution, the release states. Lamers and Djurisic fiercely condemned any use of violence and called for talks instead of confrontations. Nobody would benefit if relations became strained again, the joint release reads. Lamers and Djurisic recalled that KFOR's role would remain important, in keeping with its mandate as defined in UNSC Resolution 1244, with a view to preserving a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all citizens, regardless of their ethnicity. We believe that the continuation of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is the only way to solve problems which Kosovo citizens are facing, the joint release states. The Serbian delegation also filed amendments to the report of the NATO Committee on Economics and Security dubbed 'NATO operations within the New Strategic Concept and the EU as operative partner', and the amendments which the Serbian parliament delegation requested as regards KFOR operations in Kosovo-Metohija will be incorporated in the final version of the report, the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia released. The permanent delegation of the Serbian parliament in the NATO PA comprises head Marko Djurisic, Edip Serifov, Konstantin Samofalov and Igor Becic. The assembly in Bucharest lasted from October 7 to 10.

Romania's position on Kosovo unchanged, NATO told

"Our political stand on the Kosovo issue remains unchanged, Romania will not recognize Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence until Belgrade and Priština reach an agreement," Basescu said.

The Romanian president added that Romania's stand will remain the same regarding the position of NATO, KFOR actions and content of allied documents, the Romanian national agency Agerpres reported.

"We want them to be balanced, status-neutral and with no implicit recognition of Kosovo," Basescu specified in his address to a plenary session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Bucharest, held October 7-10.

The Romanian president underlined that his country will continue its military participation in KFOR as part of NATO.

Serbian amendments

Meanwhile, it was said in Belgrade that the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) adopted during its annual meeting in Bucharest all the amendments which the permanent delegation of the Serbian parliament filed as regards the report by the Committee on Economics and Security concerning the mentioning of Kosovo-Metohija's status as an independent state.

Head of the permanent delegation Marko Đurišić and NATO PA President Karl Lamers met on the margins of the annual assembly, after which a joint release on the situation in Kosovo-Metohija was drafted, in which they called on all sides to find a peaceful political solution and reach a compromise.

In the release, Lamers and Đurišić called for a peaceful political resolution of problems since this is the best way to find solutions that would respect equal rights of all citizens.

Lamers and Đurišić called on all relevant sides to remain committed to the search for a compromise solution that would meet everyone's interests, and expressed belief that a dialogue is the only way to achieve a constructive and long-lasting solution to all open issues.

This is why we call on all participants in the matter to refrain from unilateral actions and inflammable statements that could produce negative consequences to the already sensitive situation in the region, since such activities are not compatible with efforts aimed at finding an acceptable solution, the release states.

Lamers and Đurišić fiercely condemned any use of violence and called for talks instead of confrontations.

Nobody would benefit if relations became strained again, the joint release reads. Lamers and Đurišić recalled that KFOR's role would remain important, in keeping with its mandate as defined in UNSC Resolution 1244, with a view to preserving a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all citizens, regardless of their ethnicity.

We believe that the continuation of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is the only way to solve problems which Kosovo citizens are facing, the joint release states.

The Serbian delegation also filed amendments to the report of the NATO Committee on Economics and Security dubbed 'NATO operations within the New Strategic Concept and the EU as operative partner', and the amendments which the Serbian parliament delegation requested as regards KFOR operations in Kosovo-Metohija will be incorporated in the final version of the report, the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia released.

The permanent delegation of the Serbian parliament in the NATO PA comprises head Marko Đurišić, Edip Serifov, Konstantin Samofalov and Igor Bečić. The assembly in Bucharest lasted from October 7 to 10.