Kosovo Ministry: Agreement with UNMIK necessary

The Kosovo Ministry says a deal handed to UNMIK is vital given the new situation on the ground after February 17. State Secretary in the Kosovo Ministry Dusan Prorokovic added that the agreement was also necessary to prevent a transfer of authorities to the EU mission in Kosovo. Kosovo Ministry: Agreement with UNMIK necessary Without revealing the details of the agreement that Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardzic had handed to UNMIK Deputy Chief Larry Rossin, he told daily Politika that it should bring to an end to the ambiguous interpretation of Resolution 1244. “We have to see how we will function in future, UNMIK will stay on the ground, there is no doubt about that. The transition period of 120 days that UNMIK had in mind will not be carried out, UNMIK will still be there on the 121st day,” said Prorokovic. He said that it had been rumored in diplomatic circles that an agreement had been reached between UNMIK and EULEX over a transfer of powers. “We don’t have to accept that, it is a crude violation of Resolution 1244. We have to see how we can cooperate with UNMIK to carry out Resolution 1244,” said Prorokovic. The Kosovo Ministry official stressed that Serbia had its own “legitimate authorities” defined by Resolution 1244 and an agreement signed in 2001 by former President of the Coordination Center for Kosovo and then Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic, and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to Kosovo Hans Haekkerup. The agreement cited by Prorokovic, amongst other things, stipulated that the principles of Resolution 1244 had to be respected, and that it could only be applied by “common action on all sides.” The Haekkerup-Covic agreement also promoted the protection of the rights and interests of Serbs, including the sovereignty and integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia, being its legal successor). Part of the document also dealt with UNMIK’s obligation to construct a multi-ethnic judiciary in Kosovo. It was agreed that Serb judges and prosecutors should in general predominate in municipalities where Serbs formed the majority. Dusan Prorokovic (FoNet, archive) Kosovo daily: Samardzic’s demands refused UNMIK did not accept the Belgrade's proposal for the Serbian government, together with international institutions, to take control over Serbian enclaves in Kosovo, in order to ensure implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, writes Pristina daily Zeri today. Such a proposal was presented to UNMIK Deputy Chief Larry Rossin by Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardzic on Sunday evening, continues the daily. UNMIK stated that Belgrade should stop challenging UNMIK’s executive power in Kosovo. According to Zeri, Rossin told the minister that such attempts were an attempt to break the promises Serbia had given to the UN Security Council.

Kosovo Ministry: Agreement with UNMIK necessary

Without revealing the details of the agreement that Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardžić had handed to UNMIK Deputy Chief Larry Rossin, he told daily Politika that it should bring to an end to the ambiguous interpretation of Resolution 1244.

“We have to see how we will function in future, UNMIK will stay on the ground, there is no doubt about that. The transition period of 120 days that UNMIK had in mind will not be carried out, UNMIK will still be there on the 121st day,” said Proroković.

He said that it had been rumored in diplomatic circles that an agreement had been reached between UNMIK and EULEX over a transfer of powers.

“We don’t have to accept that, it is a crude violation of Resolution 1244. We have to see how we can cooperate with UNMIK to carry out Resolution 1244,” said Proroković.

The Kosovo Ministry official stressed that Serbia had its own “legitimate authorities” defined by Resolution 1244 and an agreement signed in 2001 by former President of the Coordination Center for Kosovo and then Deputy Prime Minister Nebojša Čović, and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to Kosovo Hans Haekkerup.

The agreement cited by Proroković, amongst other things, stipulated that the principles of Resolution 1244 had to be respected, and that it could only be applied by “common action on all sides.”

The Haekkerup-Čović agreement also promoted the protection of the rights and interests of Serbs, including the sovereignty and integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia, being its legal successor).

Part of the document also dealt with UNMIK’s obligation to construct a multi-ethnic judiciary in Kosovo. It was agreed that Serb judges and prosecutors should in general predominate in municipalities where Serbs formed the majority.

Kosovo daily: Samardžić’s demands refused

UNMIK did not accept the Belgrade's proposal for the Serbian government, together with international institutions, to take control over Serbian enclaves in Kosovo, in order to ensure implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, writes Priština daily Zeri today.

Such a proposal was presented to UNMIK Deputy Chief Larry Rossin by Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardžić on Sunday evening, continues the daily.

UNMIK stated that Belgrade should stop challenging UNMIK’s executive power in Kosovo. According to Zeri, Rossin told the minister that such attempts were an attempt to break the promises Serbia had given to the UN Security Council.