“New draft could be last chance”

“New draft could be last chance”

He also said it was important to “avoid unnecessary delays” in settling Kosovo’s future status.

“Mr. Ahtisaari’s proposal, which we consider to be good and to represent a good basis, is also on the table. At the same time, a new draft is at the UN Security Council, envisaging continued talks, so I hope those who have so far tried to block this resolution will now show more flexibility,” De Hoop Scheffer said. 

“NATO is not in the driving seat and the status settlement process is not in NATO’s hands,” he said, adding that the alliance was not directly involved in the process, “which should unfold in the UN security Council”.

De Hoop Scheffer once again called on all sides to demonstrate restraint and a moderate approach, but added that, in his opinion, the status quo in Kosovo was “unsustainable”.

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić said that he and the NATO chief agreed the preservation of peace and stability in Kosovo was of utmost importance at present.

“De Hoop Scheffer assured me that KFOR is on full alert, closely monitoring the situation in the field, and pledging to do all in its power to maintain peace and stability for all Kosovo residents, regardless of the political developments in the UN Security Council,” he said.

Jeremić also said that a new UN resolution to mandate a fresh round of talks between Belgrade and Priština was “redundant”.

“Time should not be wasted debating the make-up of a resolution set to authorize new talks. Negotiations should start as soon as possible,” he said.

After meeting with De Hoop Scheffer, President Boris Tadić said that in the process of determining Kosovo’s future status, Serbia was oriented towards preserving sovereignty and territorial integrity by means of diplomacy and not war.

Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica said today during a meeting with the NATO secretary-general that Serbia rejected the latest draft resolution on Kosovo, since it constituted for a prelude for the creation of a new Albanian state on Serbia’s territory.

Koštunica warned that the creation of such a state in the region could have very damaging consequences for the peace and stability in the Balkans.

Cooperation between Serbia and NATO within Partnership for Peace Program and Kosovo’s status settlement process topped the agenda of today’s meetings.

Spokesman for NATO James Appathurai said earlier Thursday in Brussels that NATO was paying close attention to diplomatic efforts in the UN Security Council aimed at seeking a formula for the future status of Kosovo via a new UN resolution and possibly with new round of negotiations.

Appathurai added that NATO was ready to secure conditions necessary for preserving stability in the province and guarantee an undisturbed political process of determining its status.