"Threat of violence in Kosovo comes from Priština"

The threat of a possible outbreak of violence in northern Kosovo does not come from Serbs, says Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanovic. He told Belgrade-based daily Politika that "everyone is aware" that it was the Kosovo Albanian government in Pristina that was responsible for the violence. "Threat of violence in Kosovo comes from Pristina" "Pristina, with its unilateral moves, by sending special units of Kosovo police to administrative crossings of Jarinje and Brnjak, caused tensions and the crisis," he continued. He also commented on last week's statement by German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle that violence in Kosovo could flareup "at any moment". "I understand the statement as Westerwelle's appraisal of the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija. It is volatile, there are still tensions and truly, under these circumstances in the field, there is a possibility of a new outbreak of violence," the minister warned. Bogdanovic added that "it should be kept in mind that Pristina undertook a unilateral act of violence in the north of the province in the middle of negotiations with Belgrade, thus trying to render any further dialogue meaningless." Meanwhile in Kosovo, KFOR commander Erhard Buehler told another Belgrade newspaper, Vecernje Novosti, that he "not only expected but also demanded" for the situation there to remain calm "until September", and said the agreement he reached with representatives of the Serbian government to defuse the crisis was temporary - until "the start of negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina". Buehler was also quoted as saying that "all barricades in northern Kosovo were removed", as well as that "change is being observed at Rudare" - where Serbs also put up a barricade. Goran Bogdanovic (Tanjug, file)

"Threat of violence in Kosovo comes from Priština"

"Priština, with its unilateral moves, by sending special units of Kosovo police to administrative crossings of Jarinje and Brnjak, caused tensions and the crisis," he continued.

He also commented on last week's statement by German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle that violence in Kosovo could flareup "at any moment".

"I understand the statement as Westerwelle's appraisal of the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija. It is volatile, there are still tensions and truly, under these circumstances in the field, there is a possibility of a new outbreak of violence," the minister warned.

Bogdanović added that "it should be kept in mind that Priština undertook a unilateral act of violence in the north of the province in the middle of negotiations with Belgrade, thus trying to render any further dialogue meaningless."

Meanwhile in Kosovo, KFOR commander Erhard Buehler told another Belgrade newspaper, Večernje Novosti, that he "not only expected but also demanded" for the situation there to remain calm "until September", and said the agreement he reached with representatives of the Serbian government to defuse the crisis was temporary - until "the start of negotiations between Belgrade and Priština".

Buehler was also quoted as saying that "all barricades in northern Kosovo were removed", as well as that "change is being observed at Rudare" - where Serbs also put up a barricade.