Serb municipalities to decide on deal separately

The joint meeting of representatives of Serb municipalities in northern Kosovo was interrupted today because representatives of Zubin Potok did not appear. Councilors from Kosovska Mitrovica, Leposavic and Zvecan showed up and agreed that each municipality should review the interim agreement individually. Serb municipalities to decide on deal separately Leposavic municipal president Slavko Stevanovic told reporters that municipal assembly speakers from northern Kosovo agreed to postpone the meeting because formal and legal conditions for staging the sitting have not been met as Zubin Potok representatives failed to appear. Stevanovic could not specify a date when the municipal assemblies will hold their separate sessions. The meeting today was called in order for local Serb representatives to decide whether to accept an agreement Serbian officials reached with KFOR last week. They were expected to accept the deal, that was meant to serve to calm the situation in the north after 12 days of crisis, started with an attempt of the Kosovo Albanian authorities to take over the checkpoints of Jarinje and Brnjak on the administrative line between Kosovo and central Serbia. The councilors were to decide on whether to remove the barricades on the Kosovska Mitrovica-Leposavic and Kosovska Mitrovica-Ribaric roads. The temporary agreement reached last week would see KFOR control the administrative crossings of Brnjak and Jarinje, while Serbs in the north would remove the road blocks, set up after Pristina's attempt to take over the outposts. And while the barricades were expected to be removed, the local Serbs were saying that they would remain prepared to react until there was a lasting solution in negotiations with the international community. On Sunday, the municipal presidents met in Belgrade with Serbian President Boris Tadic, to say afterwards that it was important to preserve peace, unity and stability. They also said the meeting concluded to demand that representatives of the international community respect UN Security Council Resolution 1244. The barricade at Zupce (Tanjug)

Serb municipalities to decide on deal separately

Leposavić municipal president Slavko Stevanović told reporters that municipal assembly speakers from northern Kosovo agreed to postpone the meeting because formal and legal conditions for staging the sitting have not been met as Zubin Potok representatives failed to appear.

Stevanović could not specify a date when the municipal assemblies will hold their separate sessions.

The meeting today was called in order for local Serb representatives to decide whether to accept an agreement Serbian officials reached with KFOR last week.

They were expected to accept the deal, that was meant to serve to calm the situation in the north after 12 days of crisis, started with an attempt of the Kosovo Albanian authorities to take over the checkpoints of Jarinje and Brnjak on the administrative line between Kosovo and central Serbia.

The councilors were to decide on whether to remove the barricades on the Kosovska Mitrovica-Leposavić and Kosovska Mitrovica-Ribarić roads.

The temporary agreement reached last week would see KFOR control the administrative crossings of Brnjak and Jarinje, while Serbs in the north would remove the road blocks, set up after Priština's attempt to take over the outposts.

And while the barricades were expected to be removed, the local Serbs were saying that they would remain prepared to react until there was a lasting solution in negotiations with the international community.

On Sunday, the municipal presidents met in Belgrade with Serbian President Boris Tadić, to say afterwards that it was important to preserve peace, unity and stability.

They also said the meeting concluded to demand that representatives of the international community respect UN Security Council Resolution 1244.