Feith wants to "win Serbs over"

The Foreign Affairs Council of the Council of the European Union decided in Brussels to extend the mandate of EU representative in Kosovo Pieter Feith.

Izvor: Tanjug

Tuesday, 22.02.2011.

11:02

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The Foreign Affairs Council of the Council of the European Union decided in Brussels to extend the mandate of EU representative in Kosovo Pieter Feith. The mandate has been extended until April 30. Feith wants to "win Serbs over" Feith's mandate was to expire in late February, and decision about extension was included in the official conclusions of the Monday meeting of EU foreign ministers. By extending Feith's mandate, the European Union wanted to gain certain time so as to reconsider the way in which it will be represented in Pristina in the future, and the decision should be placed in the context of the establishment of the European diplomatic service, Tanjug learned at the Council of Europe. Beside his EU mandate, the Dutch diplomat has a dual role in Kosovo, where he also heads the International Civilian Office (ICO). Meanwhile, Austria's APA news agency quotes Feith as saying that the priority of his extended mandate will be to "win over Serbs in northern Kosovo". The area north of the Ibar River is predominantly inhabited by Serbs, who rejected the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration of independence made three years ago, and do not recognize the authority of the government in Pristina. But Feith said that creating trust "in the young state" among Serbs, well as having them incorporated into it, was a significant task left for him to achieve. The way to achieve this, said he, was to offer them "the rule of law via EU's legal and police mission". Feith also said there was "still influence of Belgrade in northern Kosovo", but the Austrian agency said he would not elaborate on "who was behind this: the pro-EU government, the national-conservative or the ultra-nationalist opposition". Pieter Feith (FoNet, file)

Feith wants to "win Serbs over"

Feith's mandate was to expire in late February, and decision about extension was included in the official conclusions of the Monday meeting of EU foreign ministers.

By extending Feith's mandate, the European Union wanted to gain certain time so as to reconsider the way in which it will be represented in Priština in the future, and the decision should be placed in the context of the establishment of the European diplomatic service, Tanjug learned at the Council of Europe.

Beside his EU mandate, the Dutch diplomat has a dual role in Kosovo, where he also heads the International Civilian Office (ICO).

Meanwhile, Austria's APA news agency quotes Feith as saying that the priority of his extended mandate will be to "win over Serbs in northern Kosovo".

The area north of the Ibar River is predominantly inhabited by Serbs, who rejected the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration of independence made three years ago, and do not recognize the authority of the government in Priština.

But Feith said that creating trust "in the young state" among Serbs, well as having them incorporated into it, was a significant task left for him to achieve.

The way to achieve this, said he, was to offer them "the rule of law via EU's legal and police mission".

Feith also said there was "still influence of Belgrade in northern Kosovo", but the Austrian agency said he would not elaborate on "who was behind this: the pro-EU government, the national-conservative or the ultra-nationalist opposition".

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