EULEX opposes "zones of responsibility"

Head of the EU mission to Kosovo Yves de Kermabon opposes dividing Kosovo into zones of responsibility. “The full deployment of the mission will take around 120 days, and I hope that we’ll be fully functioning by the autumn, by the end of October,“ de Kermabon told the Russian Rosbalt agency. EULEX opposes "zones of responsibility" The French general said that the EU mission would gradually replace UNMIK, and that they would “co-exist only in the transitional period” in order to avoid a time vacuum. “UNMIK currently controls the entire territory of Kosovo, and once we’re ready to take over the baton from them, EULEX will work throughout Kosovo,” he said, adding that he “categorically opposes a partition of Kosovo into UNMIK and EULEX zones of responsibility.” In response to Russia’s claims that EULEX is illegal as its deployment has not been approved by the UN Security Council, the general, who commanded KFOR in 2004-05, said that it was “enough that the decision for EULEX to replace UNMIK was taken by the UN secretary-general, and that the decision to send the mission was made unanimously by EU states in February.” “My job is, as head of the mission, to carry out the objectives of ensuring stability in Kosovo, and first and foremost, ensuring stability for the minorities that live there,” he explained. “I must convince the Kosovo Serbs that we’re ready to guarantee the respect and protection of their rights, such as freedom of movement and so on. That’s why I’m trying to communicate with ordinary people as much as possible, with the Kosovo Serbs, to explain to them what I intend to do,” added de Kermabon. The head of the EU mission said that EULEX’s main aim was to offer help to the “Kosovo organs in the process of creating a lawful state,” in the areas of the police, customs and the judiciary, which was part of the mission’s purview, and that EULEX would have 3,000 members, of whom 1,100 would be “Kosovars”. Yves de Kermabon Sejdiu: Two missions unacceptable Kosovo President Fatmir Seidiu has rejected the possibility of two separate missions for Serbs and Albanians, saying that he does not want to comment on any individual proposals. Sejdiu made the remarks following Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt’s proposal for UNMIK to operate in the north of the province, while EULEX would be responsible for the rest of the territory. “We've expressed our position, and I do not want to comment on any views given outside the joint position of the international community. I was at the UN Security Council when the issue was addressed. I’m also thinking of the suggestion of the UN secretary general, and I expect the process to end shortly as initially envisaged, and that all the responsibilities will be transferred to EULEX in October,” said the president. He said that he would not accept any kind of agreement between the UNMIK Chief Lamberto Zannier and the Serbian authorities, outwith the framework established by Pristina. The president said that at yesterday’s meeting with the UNMIK chief, they had talked about relations between Kosovo and Serbia as between two independent states. Seidiu described as “historic” the talks he and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci are to have with U.S. President George W. Bush. The president, prime minister and the official appointed as the province’s foreign minister, Skender Hiseni, will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on July 18, and three days later, with Bush.

EULEX opposes "zones of responsibility"

The French general said that the EU mission would gradually replace UNMIK, and that they would “co-exist only in the transitional period” in order to avoid a time vacuum.

“UNMIK currently controls the entire territory of Kosovo, and once we’re ready to take over the baton from them, EULEX will work throughout Kosovo,” he said, adding that he “categorically opposes a partition of Kosovo into UNMIK and EULEX zones of responsibility.”

In response to Russia’s claims that EULEX is illegal as its deployment has not been approved by the UN Security Council, the general, who commanded KFOR in 2004-05, said that it was “enough that the decision for EULEX to replace UNMIK was taken by the UN secretary-general, and that the decision to send the mission was made unanimously by EU states in February.”

“My job is, as head of the mission, to carry out the objectives of ensuring stability in Kosovo, and first and foremost, ensuring stability for the minorities that live there,” he explained.

“I must convince the Kosovo Serbs that we’re ready to guarantee the respect and protection of their rights, such as freedom of movement and so on. That’s why I’m trying to communicate with ordinary people as much as possible, with the Kosovo Serbs, to explain to them what I intend to do,” added de Kermabon.

The head of the EU mission said that EULEX’s main aim was to offer help to the “Kosovo organs in the process of creating a lawful state,” in the areas of the police, customs and the judiciary, which was part of the mission’s purview, and that EULEX would have 3,000 members, of whom 1,100 would be “Kosovars”.

Sejdiu: Two missions unacceptable

Kosovo President Fatmir Seidiu has rejected the possibility of two separate missions for Serbs and Albanians, saying that he does not want to comment on any individual proposals.

Sejdiu made the remarks following Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt’s proposal for UNMIK to operate in the north of the province, while EULEX would be responsible for the rest of the territory.

“We've expressed our position, and I do not want to comment on any views given outside the joint position of the international community. I was at the UN Security Council when the issue was addressed. I’m also thinking of the suggestion of the UN secretary general, and I expect the process to end shortly as initially envisaged, and that all the responsibilities will be transferred to EULEX in October,” said the president.

He said that he would not accept any kind of agreement between the UNMIK Chief Lamberto Zannier and the Serbian authorities, outwith the framework established by Priština.

The president said that at yesterday’s meeting with the UNMIK chief, they had talked about relations between Kosovo and Serbia as between two independent states.

Seidiu described as “historic” the talks he and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci are to have with U.S. President George W. Bush.

The president, prime minister and the official appointed as the province’s foreign minister, Skender Hiseni, will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on July 18, and three days later, with Bush.