Aid convoy to “cross administrative line on Friday”

The Russian aid convoy will continue toward Kosovska Mitrovica tomorrow morning, Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Konuzin says. The Russian convoy has been held at the Jarinje administrative crossing since Tuesday. Aid convoy to “cross administrative line on Friday” “Northern Kosovo Serb representatives have agreed to let three EULEX vehicles escort the Russian humanitarian convoy,” Kosovska Mitrovica District Head Radenko Nedeljkovic has said. Konuzin said after a meeting with northern Kosovo local self-governments’ representatives that he hoped that the convoy would continue its journey at 07:00 CET on Friday and that the final harmonization of the procedure was underway. “The issue of the humanitarian convoy was touched during the Russia-EU Summit in Brussels,” the Russian ambassador stressed and repeated that the Russian trucks had arrived to the Jarinje checkpoint on December 13. Konuzin added that the EU representatives had initially agreed to let the convoy cross the administrative line, that two trucks had gone through but “the cooperation with EULEX unexpectedly stopped and the convoy was blocked”. He added that new conditions had been presented and that the Russian side could not accept them. “The situation was discussed at the Summit in Brussels and the EU gave a compromise proposal. We have been working on the proposals with Moscow, Belgrade, northern Kosovo Serb representatives and the EU representatives during the day,” Konuzin told reporters. According to him, the result of the talks is an agreement to allow the Russian convoy to continue toward its destination. Nedeljkovic said that the local self-governments’ representatives had agreed to respect the agreement that was reached by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and the EU on Wednesday. “We gave our consent to EULEX to have the humanitarian aid escorted by three SUVs because we did not want to politicize the issue anymore, because we believe that it has been politicized enough. We do not want to stop the aid from reaching those who need it the most because we believe that there are large numbers of people in northern Kosovo and in the entire Kosovo and Metohija who are living off welfare and humanitarian aid,” he explained. The Kosovska Mitrovica District head added that northern Kosovo Serbs would not change their attitude toward EULEX. “We have nothing against the EULEX mission and the moment it returns to its mandate and gives up on establishing Kosovo institutions in northern Kosovo it will have a full freedom of movement,” Nedeljkovic concluded. Aleksandr Konuzin is seen in Leposavic on Thursday (Tanjug) Russian aid convoy still blocked despite agreement The Russian convoy carrying humanitarian aid is still at the Jarinje administrative crossing, where it has been waiting to enter Kosovo for nearly 48 hours. Russian Embassy in Serbia official Ivan Gorbunov told Tanjug Thursday morning that the details of the agreement reached between Russia and the European Commission (EC) were still unknown. According to Gorbunov, the convoy, which should have reached Kosovska Mitrovica on Tuesday, is waiting for further instructions and it is not familiar when and in what way it will be allowed through. Only two trucks carrying Russian aid entered Kosovo on Tuesday morning, whereas the third one is still waiting at the very Jarinje crossing, and the rest of the convoy is several kilometers away from the administrative line, in Rudnica near Raska. EC reached an agreement with the Russian government on Wednesday evening on enabling the convoy to reach northern Kosovo. EC agreed with Russia to allow through the convoy carrying aid for the Serbs in Kosovo, Tanjug has learned from EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton’s Spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic. She said that Ashton was in contact with all sides, adding that she hoped the agreement would soon be implemented. The convoy was blocked on Tuesday afternoon, after Russian officials refused to be escorted by EULEX. EULEX offered Russia two options to reach Kosovska Mitrovica, either to be accompanied by EULEX, or to go to the Merdare crossing, which they refused since Merdare is controlled by the Kosovo customs. Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexandr Konuzin, who is accompanying the convoy, assessed EULEX's requests as political blackmail. N. Kosovo Serbs stop EULEX vehicle A EULEX vehicle headed in the direction of the Jarinje administrative crossing was stopped at a roadblock in Leposavic around 10:45 CET Thursday. The vehicle came from the direction of Zvecan. The road in question leads from Kosovska Mitrovica to Lesak and one lane is open for traffic. After stopping the EULEX vehicle, the Serbs at the barricade allowed a convoy of the U.S. contingent of KFOR through. The EULEX vehicle stopped for ten minutes and then headed back toward Zvecan.

Aid convoy to “cross administrative line on Friday”

“Northern Kosovo Serb representatives have agreed to let three EULEX vehicles escort the Russian humanitarian convoy,” Kosovska Mitrovica District Head Radenko Nedeljković has said.

Konuzin said after a meeting with northern Kosovo local self-governments’ representatives that he hoped that the convoy would continue its journey at 07:00 CET on Friday and that the final harmonization of the procedure was underway.

“The issue of the humanitarian convoy was touched during the Russia-EU Summit in Brussels,” the Russian ambassador stressed and repeated that the Russian trucks had arrived to the Jarinje checkpoint on December 13.

Konuzin added that the EU representatives had initially agreed to let the convoy cross the administrative line, that two trucks had gone through but “the cooperation with EULEX unexpectedly stopped and the convoy was blocked”.

He added that new conditions had been presented and that the Russian side could not accept them.

“The situation was discussed at the Summit in Brussels and the EU gave a compromise proposal. We have been working on the proposals with Moscow, Belgrade, northern Kosovo Serb representatives and the EU representatives during the day,” Konuzin told reporters.

According to him, the result of the talks is an agreement to allow the Russian convoy to continue toward its destination. Nedeljković said that the local self-governments’ representatives had agreed to respect the agreement that was reached by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and the EU on Wednesday.

“We gave our consent to EULEX to have the humanitarian aid escorted by three SUVs because we did not want to politicize the issue anymore, because we believe that it has been politicized enough. We do not want to stop the aid from reaching those who need it the most because we believe that there are large numbers of people in northern Kosovo and in the entire Kosovo and Metohija who are living off welfare and humanitarian aid,” he explained.

The Kosovska Mitrovica District head added that northern Kosovo Serbs would not change their attitude toward EULEX.

“We have nothing against the EULEX mission and the moment it returns to its mandate and gives up on establishing Kosovo institutions in northern Kosovo it will have a full freedom of movement,” Nedeljković concluded.

Russian aid convoy still blocked despite agreement

The Russian convoy carrying humanitarian aid is still at the Jarinje administrative crossing, where it has been waiting to enter Kosovo for nearly 48 hours.

Russian Embassy in Serbia official Ivan Gorbunov told Tanjug Thursday morning that the details of the agreement reached between Russia and the European Commission (EC) were still unknown.

According to Gorbunov, the convoy, which should have reached Kosovska Mitrovica on Tuesday, is waiting for further instructions and it is not familiar when and in what way it will be allowed through.

Only two trucks carrying Russian aid entered Kosovo on Tuesday morning, whereas the third one is still waiting at the very Jarinje crossing, and the rest of the convoy is several kilometers away from the administrative line, in Rudnica near Raška.

EC reached an agreement with the Russian government on Wednesday evening on enabling the convoy to reach northern Kosovo.

EC agreed with Russia to allow through the convoy carrying aid for the Serbs in Kosovo, Tanjug has learned from EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton’s Spokeswoman Maja Kocijančić.

She said that Ashton was in contact with all sides, adding that she hoped the agreement would soon be implemented.

The convoy was blocked on Tuesday afternoon, after Russian officials refused to be escorted by EULEX.

EULEX offered Russia two options to reach Kosovska Mitrovica, either to be accompanied by EULEX, or to go to the Merdare crossing, which they refused since Merdare is controlled by the Kosovo customs.

Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexandr Konuzin, who is accompanying the convoy, assessed EULEX's requests as political blackmail.

N. Kosovo Serbs stop EULEX vehicle

A EULEX vehicle headed in the direction of the Jarinje administrative crossing was stopped at a roadblock in Leposavić around 10:45 CET Thursday.

The vehicle came from the direction of Zvečan.

The road in question leads from Kosovska Mitrovica to Lešak and one lane is open for traffic.

After stopping the EULEX vehicle, the Serbs at the barricade allowed a convoy of the U.S. contingent of KFOR through.

The EULEX vehicle stopped for ten minutes and then headed back toward Zvečan.