"Tadić's suggestion in line with Ahtisaari plan"

The British envoy in Pristina says his country "will not oppose a discussion about the plan of Serbian President Boris Tadic in the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue". This is "provided that Serbia fulfills the demands regarding northern Kosovo", stated Ian Cliff, who serves as British ambassador in Kosovo. "Tadic's suggestion in line with Ahtisaari plan" Cliff underlined that "Tadic's four-point plan for a lasting solution to the Kosovo issue is in line with the Martti Ahtisaari plan", and that Britain "backs the four points proposed by the Serbian president". But while speaking positively about Tadic's ideas, the British diplomat said that his country "expects Serbia to remove the barricades in northern Kosovo, to carry out the agreements reached during the technical dialogue and to dismantle the parallel structures". Tadic said last week that the relations between Kosovo and Serbia could be improved and the problems resolved through dialogue if four issues are discussed - solution for the Serbian Orthodox Church monasteries and administering the monastery complex, guarantees for Serbs in enclaves, state property and property of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija, and a special solution for northern Kosovo. "London supports this proposal via its ambassadors in Kosovo and Serbia," Albanian language daily Koha Ditore reported, and quoted Cliff as qualifying the proposal as "good, since its four points are founded in a broader Ahtisaari plan". "Ahtisaari's plan offers special protection zones for monasteries and Serb religious and cultural heritage, as in Prizren or Velika Hoca. The municipalities with the majority Serb population have a broader autonomy, among others in the fields of education and health care," Cliff said. He noted that "the Kosovo Property Agency had made progress in resolving property issues". "The Ahtisaari plan envisages the formation of a specific municipality in the northern part of (Kosovska) Mitrovica, and I am confident that a number of issues regarding the north can be resolved by expanding the jurisdictions and responsibility, all in keeping with the Ahtisaari plan," Cliff concluded. The plan, drawn up by former UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari, envisaged Kosovo's supervised independence. It was used as the basis for the ethnic Albanian unilateral declaration of independence made four years ago. However, the plan was never approved by the UN Security Council, and was rejected by Serbia. Tanjug

"Tadić's suggestion in line with Ahtisaari plan"

Cliff underlined that "Tadić's four-point plan for a lasting solution to the Kosovo issue is in line with the Martti Ahtisaari plan", and that Britain "backs the four points proposed by the Serbian president".

But while speaking positively about Tadić's ideas, the British diplomat said that his country "expects Serbia to remove the barricades in northern Kosovo, to carry out the agreements reached during the technical dialogue and to dismantle the parallel structures".

Tadić said last week that the relations between Kosovo and Serbia could be improved and the problems resolved through dialogue if four issues are discussed - solution for the Serbian Orthodox Church monasteries and administering the monastery complex, guarantees for Serbs in enclaves, state property and property of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija, and a special solution for northern Kosovo.

"London supports this proposal via its ambassadors in Kosovo and Serbia," Albanian language daily Koha Ditore reported, and quoted Cliff as qualifying the proposal as "good, since its four points are founded in a broader Ahtisaari plan".

"Ahtisaari's plan offers special protection zones for monasteries and Serb religious and cultural heritage, as in Prizren or Velika Hoča. The municipalities with the majority Serb population have a broader autonomy, among others in the fields of education and health care," Cliff said.

He noted that "the Kosovo Property Agency had made progress in resolving property issues".

"The Ahtisaari plan envisages the formation of a specific municipality in the northern part of (Kosovska) Mitrovica, and I am confident that a number of issues regarding the north can be resolved by expanding the jurisdictions and responsibility, all in keeping with the Ahtisaari plan," Cliff concluded.

The plan, drawn up by former UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari, envisaged Kosovo's supervised independence. It was used as the basis for the ethnic Albanian unilateral declaration of independence made four years ago. However, the plan was never approved by the UN Security Council, and was rejected by Serbia.