"Kosovo supervision ends, sovereignty in fall"

The International Steering Group for Kosovo (ISG) decided on Monday to end the international supervision of Kosovo's independence. The group, gathering 23 European countries, the United States and Turkey, also announced that the territory "will acquire full independence as of this fall", and commended the government in Pristina for its intention to “deepen its engagement with the Serb community in the north.” "Kosovo supervision ends, sovereignty in fall" "The ISG decided to take final steps towards ending the supervised independence of Kosovo, and closing the International Civilian Office (ICO), reads the communique of today's meeting in Vienna, adding that the final decision in relation to that is expected at a meeting scheduled for September," Tanjug news agency reported. The ISG congratulated the Kosovo government “for its clear support to a democratic and multi-ethnic state, as evidenced in the passing of the laws and amendments to implement the Comprehensive Settlement Proposal (CSP) package, including laws on cultural and religious heritage, community rights and decentralization.“ "We commit ourselves to continue supporting Kosovo's quest for further international recognitions and its aspirations toward membership of relevant international organizations. We support Kosovo's commitment to its European agenda and welcome the European Union's readiness to assist this process," the statement from the ISG session reads. According to this, "Kosovo has implemented the terms of the Comprehensive Settlement Proposal. Based on this Determination, the institutions of Kosovo are now invited to proceed to approve the agreed package of amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo and to primary legislation necessary to encapsulate CSP principles and end the supervision of independence." The plan for Kosovo's supervised independence, drawn up by UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari, was rejected by Serbia and Russia and never adopted by the UN Security Council. Kosovo's ethnic Albanians, however, used it as a basis for their unilateral declaration of independence, made in February 2008. Serbia rejected that proclamation as illegal. Tanjug

"Kosovo supervision ends, sovereignty in fall"

"The ISG decided to take final steps towards ending the supervised independence of Kosovo, and closing the International Civilian Office (ICO), reads the communique of today's meeting in Vienna, adding that the final decision in relation to that is expected at a meeting scheduled for September," Tanjug news agency reported.

The ISG congratulated the Kosovo government “for its clear support to a democratic and multi-ethnic state, as evidenced in the passing of the laws and amendments to implement the Comprehensive Settlement Proposal (CSP) package, including laws on cultural and religious heritage, community rights and decentralization.“

"We commit ourselves to continue supporting Kosovo's quest for further international recognitions and its aspirations toward membership of relevant international organizations. We support Kosovo's commitment to its European agenda and welcome the European Union's readiness to assist this process," the statement from the ISG session reads.

According to this, "Kosovo has implemented the terms of the Comprehensive Settlement Proposal. Based on this Determination, the institutions of Kosovo are now invited to proceed to approve the agreed package of amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo and to primary legislation necessary to encapsulate CSP principles and end the supervision of independence."

The plan for Kosovo's supervised independence, drawn up by UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari, was rejected by Serbia and Russia and never adopted by the UN Security Council.

Kosovo's ethnic Albanians, however, used it as a basis for their unilateral declaration of independence, made in February 2008.

Serbia rejected that proclamation as illegal.