UNMIK denies Kosovo partition proposal

UNMIK spokesman Alexander Ivanko on Tuesday denied allegations by some Pristina media that UN envoy Andrew Ladley proposed Kosovo's “administrative division”. Ivanko told Tanjug that the UN envoy "does not propose anything, he only transfers discussion document and it is up to Pristina and Belgrade to agree or disagree on". UNMIK denies Kosovo partition proposal “We only consult with them, trying to help the dialogue but we are not a participating side in the dialogue,” Ivanko said. Since October 15, Ladley is in Kosovo on a mission to help the indirect dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina on six topics - police, judiciary, customs, border, infrastructure, and protection of cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo - which was initiated by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his UNMIK reconfiguration plan. Albanian language media in the province reported on Monday that Ladley made the proposal, which implies separate customs systems and police commands in northern, Serb-dominated part of Kosovo, as well as "functioning of the justice system outside the legal system and the Kosovo constitution". Notwithstanding UNMIK's denial that the proposal existed, Kosovo Albanian representatives "have rejected the idea of Kosovo's administrative division", reports say, while analysts in Pristina note that "the unofficial offer is the first serious test for the authorities, who are supposed to share the responsibility for the forthcoming challenge with international factors", according to a Tanjug report. Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, as the Pristina-based daily Koha Ditore reported, rejected the conditioning of Belgrade that EULEX's deployment in the north be dependant upon the fulfillment of the Serbs' demand for an actual division of the northern part of Kosovo. "For us, it is important that EULEX be deployed in Kosovo as soon as possible, all in keeping with the Ahtisaari plan and without any conditioning whatsoever," Sejdiu said.

UNMIK denies Kosovo partition proposal

“We only consult with them, trying to help the dialogue but we are not a participating side in the dialogue,” Ivanko said.

Since October 15, Ladley is in Kosovo on a mission to help the indirect dialogue between Belgrade and Priština on six topics - police, judiciary, customs, border, infrastructure, and protection of cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo - which was initiated by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his UNMIK reconfiguration plan.

Albanian language media in the province reported on Monday that Ladley made the proposal, which implies separate customs systems and police commands in northern, Serb-dominated part of Kosovo, as well as "functioning of the justice system outside the legal system and the Kosovo constitution".

Notwithstanding UNMIK's denial that the proposal existed, Kosovo Albanian representatives "have rejected the idea of Kosovo's administrative division", reports say, while analysts in Priština note that "the unofficial offer is the first serious test for the authorities, who are supposed to share the responsibility for the forthcoming challenge with international factors", according to a Tanjug report.

Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, as the Priština-based daily Koha Ditore reported, rejected the conditioning of Belgrade that EULEX's deployment in the north be dependant upon the fulfillment of the Serbs' demand for an actual division of the northern part of Kosovo.

"For us, it is important that EULEX be deployed in Kosovo as soon as possible, all in keeping with the Ahtisaari plan and without any conditioning whatsoever," Sejdiu said.