New plan for northern Kosovo necessary, daily says

Kosovo institutions should prepare a new proposal for northern Kosovo since Serbs do not accept the Ahtisaari plan, Pristina-based daily Koha Ditore writes. Quoting unnamed Western diplomats, the daily says that the implementation of the Ahtisaari plan has failed in northern Kosovo and that a new plan is therefore necessary. New plan for northern Kosovo necessary, daily says French, German and Italian ambassadors in Kosovo rejected allegations that a political dialogue was being considered, but said that the northern Kosovo issues should be discussed. German Ambassador to Kosovo Ernst Reichel said that the northern Kosovo issue needed to be reconsidered and that it should begin with fulfillment of requests made by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to Serbia. “I am convinced that the situation in the north requires discussion. The situation cannot be sustainably solved with political means. An example of such discussions are talks that Chancellor Merkel had in Belgrade where she requested abolition of the parallel structures and a chance for EULEX to perform its task in the north without interference,” he explained. The German ambassador said that building of trust with local factors had proved to be successful in the past and stressed that Kosovo’s borders could not be changed. French Ambassador to Kosovo Jean-Francois Fitou said that the process could be called a dialogue, a plan or any other name but that a vision that would allow the Kosovo government to have access to the north should be offered. He claims that the most important thing is that both Kosovo institutions and local Serbs are involved in the process. When asked about the new plan, Italian Ambassador Michael Giffoni quoted European Commission's Enlargement Directorate General for Western Balkans Pierre Mirel who said that “the EC has not thought of any platform or a plan on a political level”. (Tanjug, file)

New plan for northern Kosovo necessary, daily says

French, German and Italian ambassadors in Kosovo rejected allegations that a political dialogue was being considered, but said that the northern Kosovo issues should be discussed.

German Ambassador to Kosovo Ernst Reichel said that the northern Kosovo issue needed to be reconsidered and that it should begin with fulfillment of requests made by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to Serbia.

“I am convinced that the situation in the north requires discussion. The situation cannot be sustainably solved with political means. An example of such discussions are talks that Chancellor Merkel had in Belgrade where she requested abolition of the parallel structures and a chance for EULEX to perform its task in the north without interference,” he explained.

The German ambassador said that building of trust with local factors had proved to be successful in the past and stressed that Kosovo’s borders could not be changed.

French Ambassador to Kosovo Jean-Francois Fitou said that the process could be called a dialogue, a plan or any other name but that a vision that would allow the Kosovo government to have access to the north should be offered.

He claims that the most important thing is that both Kosovo institutions and local Serbs are involved in the process.

When asked about the new plan, Italian Ambassador Michael Giffoni quoted European Commission's Enlargement Directorate General for Western Balkans Pierre Mirel who said that “the EC has not thought of any platform or a plan on a political level”.