Ahtisaari: Kosovo deadline stands

UN Envoy for the Kosovo talks announces he will stick to his deadline.

Izvor: B92

Tuesday, 06.02.2007.

13:39

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Ahtisaari: Kosovo deadline stands

In an interview with the Financial Times, the former Finnish president said there was little point in delaying when it was "highly unlikely" there could now be a compromise between Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority, which seeks independence, and authorities in Belgrade which claim the UN-administered province remains an inalienable part of Serbia.

Mr Ahtisaari, who had intended to present his report last December, postponed publication until last week after Serbia called elections. But he is unwilling to consider further postponements. "If somebody asks for more time, I ask them: 'Will it make any difference to your views?' I don't think giving more time will make much difference," he said.

His proposals, published on Friday during a visit to Belgrade and Priština, involve de facto independence for Kosovo under European Union supervision, and a high level of autonomy for the province's Serb minority.

The UK and the US back the proposals. Russia has serious reservations about granting Kosovo independence in the face of Belgrade's opposition. But Sergei Lavrov, foreign minister, said in comments published on Saturday that Moscow had never promised Belgrade it would use its Security Council veto over Kosovo.

Mr Ahtisaari took comfort that the Contact Group of six nations dealing with Kosovo - the US, Russia, the UK, Germany, France and Italy - were unanimous in wanting to take the question to the Security Council. "There may be nuances. But it's encouraging that they are acting together," he said.

Mr Ahtisaari also questioned Russia's argument that granting independence for Kosovo would set a precedent for breakaway territories, including Abkhazia and South Ossetia, in Georgia. He said: "It's a good debating point but that's as far as it goes. You would have to take the problems of the former Soviet Union to the Security Council. The Security Council would decide whether it was a precedent."

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