Feith to stay in Kosovo “until EU membership”

EU special envoy to Kosovo Pieter Feith says that his mandate in Kosovo has no time limit. He said in Pristina that he would stay in Kosovo until the status plan had been completely implemented. Feith to stay in Kosovo “until EU membership” “As an international civil representative, I will be here until everything is implemented fully, even though an appraisal of the situation is expected in two years,” Feith said in an interview with daily Blic, adding that he hoped that “implementation will run smoothly.” He said that he would remain in Kosovo until it became a member of the European Union. Feith said that his position was “absolutely not” the same as that of the UNMIK chief, rather, that it was based on the goal of securing implementation plans for Kosovo’s status and “supporting and advising the Kosovo government.” In an interview with daily Vecernje Novosti, Feith said that the EULEX mission was not in Kosovo with the goal of creating a new NATO state. “We are not coming to Kosovo to create a NATO state, but it is politically impossible to say now: we’ve made a mistake and we are going back to where we were earlier. We started on this path and we must continue the journey,” the EU envoy explained. He said that “a lot more time and patience” was needed for the EU mission to get set up in the north of the province. “We might need years in northern Kosovo. There are things we will not do – we will not use force or start a ‘third world war’ in order to deploy our mission,” Feith said. The EU envoy added that UNMIK and NATO were currently responsible for protecting Serbs in Kosovo, but that the EULEX mission was prepared to assume these responsibilities. “We will try to be as invisible as possible, because the Kosovo government must take responsibility, but I assure you that if someone in Pristina decides to endanger the Serbs in Kosovo, I will not refrain from using my authority, including the right to replace or dismiss anyone who is breaking the rules,” he assured. Feith said that it would be “politically very important for half of UN members to recognize Kosovo before the UN General Assembly meeting in September.” “Islamic countries, which represent a very important part of the UN, will be contacted next week, and that will begin a new wave of recognitions,” the EU envoy predicted.

Feith to stay in Kosovo “until EU membership”

“As an international civil representative, I will be here until everything is implemented fully, even though an appraisal of the situation is expected in two years,” Feith said in an interview with daily Blic, adding that he hoped that “implementation will run smoothly.”

He said that he would remain in Kosovo until it became a member of the European Union.

Feith said that his position was “absolutely not” the same as that of the UNMIK chief, rather, that it was based on the goal of securing implementation plans for Kosovo’s status and “supporting and advising the Kosovo government.”

In an interview with daily Večernje Novosti, Feith said that the EULEX mission was not in Kosovo with the goal of creating a new NATO state.

“We are not coming to Kosovo to create a NATO state, but it is politically impossible to say now: we’ve made a mistake and we are going back to where we were earlier. We started on this path and we must continue the journey,” the EU envoy explained.

He said that “a lot more time and patience” was needed for the EU mission to get set up in the north of the province.

“We might need years in northern Kosovo. There are things we will not do – we will not use force or start a ‘third world war’ in order to deploy our mission,” Feith said.

The EU envoy added that UNMIK and NATO were currently responsible for protecting Serbs in Kosovo, but that the EULEX mission was prepared to assume these responsibilities.

“We will try to be as invisible as possible, because the Kosovo government must take responsibility, but I assure you that if someone in Priština decides to endanger the Serbs in Kosovo, I will not refrain from using my authority, including the right to replace or dismiss anyone who is breaking the rules,” he assured.

Feith said that it would be “politically very important for half of UN members to recognize Kosovo before the UN General Assembly meeting in September.”

“Islamic countries, which represent a very important part of the UN, will be contacted next week, and that will begin a new wave of recognitions,” the EU envoy predicted.