Solana: EULEX deployment in December

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said in Brussels on Monday that he expects the deployment of EULEX to take place in December. Together with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Solana voiced support to the Belgrade-UN negotiations on the reconfiguration of UNMIK. Solana: EULEX deployment in December Solana pointed out that he supports the negotiations between Belgrade and UNMIK and expressed hope that the talks will be over soon, but that there are "some aspects of their cooperation which should progress simultaneously", according to a Tanjug report. Scheffer pointed out that NATO is "as interested in the outcome of these negotiations as the EU". He added that military alliance and the EU discuss the EU mission in Kosovo on a regular basis and that on Monday he met Solana to for a meeting on the Kosovo situation. Scheffer pointed out that NATO allies and Serbia do not agree on the Kosovo issue, but that this is "not a big problem", since both parties want to develop their relations. The speed at which the relations will be developing is up to the Belgrade authorities, Scheffer specified. "Disservice to Brussels" In a separate report carried today, Tanjug quoted Itar-Tass news agency which reported that sources with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried of undermining the Belgrade-Brussels EULEX talks. Fried's recent “controlled independence” for Kosovo comment is evidence of Washington's intent to act in the province ignoring not only the interests Belgrade and Kosovo Serbs, but also of its partners in the European Union, the sources were quoted as saying. Commenting on Fried's statement that deployment of the EU mission in Kosovo in its entire is the key prerequisite for securing its “controlled independence”, the Russian officials said that this “was done at the key moment of Belgrade's dialogue with the United Nations and EU on finding legal grounds for EULEX activities in Kosovo and its cooperation with the UN mission”. “Serbs and Europeans are looking for an acceptable formula for such reconfiguration of international presence, where Belgrade insists on a neutral-status character of EULEX and its work 'under the umbrella' of the UN in keeping with UN Security Council Resolution 1244,” the unnamed Russian diplomat said. According to him, Fried's statement “has nothing in common with those justified demands, it shows Washington's inclination to act in Kosovo ignoring not only the interests of Belgrade and the Kosovo Serbs but also the interests of its partners in the EU. The EU is, however, evidently interested in reaching a compromise with Belgrade, said the source of Itar-Tass, adding that Fried's statement seemed to be a disservice to Brussels.

Solana: EULEX deployment in December

Solana pointed out that he supports the negotiations between Belgrade and UNMIK and expressed hope that the talks will be over soon, but that there are "some aspects of their cooperation which should progress simultaneously", according to a Tanjug report.

Scheffer pointed out that NATO is "as interested in the outcome of these negotiations as the EU".

He added that military alliance and the EU discuss the EU mission in Kosovo on a regular basis and that on Monday he met Solana to for a meeting on the Kosovo situation.

Scheffer pointed out that NATO allies and Serbia do not agree on the Kosovo issue, but that this is "not a big problem", since both parties want to develop their relations.

The speed at which the relations will be developing is up to the Belgrade authorities, Scheffer specified.

"Disservice to Brussels"

In a separate report carried today, Tanjug quoted Itar-Tass news agency which reported that sources with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried of undermining the Belgrade-Brussels EULEX talks.

Fried's recent “controlled independence” for Kosovo comment is evidence of Washington's intent to act in the province ignoring not only the interests Belgrade and Kosovo Serbs, but also of its partners in the European Union, the sources were quoted as saying.

Commenting on Fried's statement that deployment of the EU mission in Kosovo in its entire is the key prerequisite for securing its “controlled independence”, the Russian officials said that this “was done at the key moment of Belgrade's dialogue with the United Nations and EU on finding legal grounds for EULEX activities in Kosovo and its cooperation with the UN mission”.

“Serbs and Europeans are looking for an acceptable formula for such reconfiguration of international presence, where Belgrade insists on a neutral-status character of EULEX and its work 'under the umbrella' of the UN in keeping with UN Security Council Resolution 1244,” the unnamed Russian diplomat said.

According to him, Fried's statement “has nothing in common with those justified demands, it shows Washington's inclination to act in Kosovo ignoring not only the interests of Belgrade and the Kosovo Serbs but also the interests of its partners in the EU.

The EU is, however, evidently interested in reaching a compromise with Belgrade, said the source of Itar-Tass, adding that Fried's statement seemed to be a disservice to Brussels.