U.S. envoy to discuss status of Kosovo in Moscow

U.S. envoy to discuss status of Kosovo in Moscow

On Friday, UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari presented his plan for the UN-administered Kosovo province to Serbian and Kosovo authorities. Both sides interpreted the proposal as suggesting a division of the territories and foreseeing eventual independence for Kosovo.

While Kosovo Albanians welcomed the plan, Serbian authorities said Ahtisaari's proposals offered too much independence for Kosovo, including the right to independently join international organizations such as the UN, the European Union, and NATO, and to have its own emblem, flag and anthem. Serbian President Boris Tadic said Serbia would never recognize Kosovo's independence.

U.S. representative Wisner, conversely, said the UN plan was brilliant, and promised Kosovo full support in promoting the final status of the southern Serbian province.

He also urged Serbian and Kosovo leaders to attend consultations on the province's status, which will open in Vienna February 13.

Wisner will leave Pristina for the Serbian capital, Belgrade, where he will meet with the Serbian president Tuesday, the presidential press service said.

As a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council and a traditional ally of Belgrade, Russia has repeatedly said a decision on Kosovo should satisfy both Kosovo and Serbian authorities, and must be reached through negotiations. The U.S. has been pushing for a resolution of the issue through the UN Security Council, saying the region should be granted some form of independence.

Priština citizens have aimed some criticism at Martti Ahtisaari’s proposal. The shadow government, led by the largest opposition party, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (DPK),  pointed out that certain points in the proposal were not discussed in Vienna. DPK vice-president Hajredin Kuci said that the proposal contained particular novelties in regards to decentralization, the number of protected areas and the rights of national communities.

The Serbian National Council of Northern Kosovo will hold a protest march in reaction to Martti Ahtisaari’s status proposal on February 9. The Albanian Self-determination Movement (Vetëvendosje) announced their protest for the following day.