Tensions in Kosovo "should be reduced"

Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic and Austrian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Wolfgang Waldner met in Belgrade on Wednesday, it has been reported. They agreed that now the main concern is to ease the tensions caused by recent incidents in Kosovo. Tensions in Kosovo "should be reduced" During their meeting in Belgrade, the two officials "pointed to the necessity of holding the parliamentary and presidential elections in Kosovo, after which the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue would be resumed, as the only way to resolve issues" - says a statement issued by the Ministry for Kosovo. Waldner expressed Austria's readiness to fully support Serbia's further EU integration. Bogdanovic stated that Serbia does not want to organize the forthcoming elections in its southern province without the consent of relevant international organizations, and expressed hope that the OSCE will accept to help. Austria will give us an adequate support, Bogdanovic told Tanjug, stressing that he had asked the OSCE to help by observing the elections. The OSCE should only observe the elections, and not determine the number of polling stations and other conditions, he said. Bogdanovic also pointed out that there is a tendency to reduce the number of polling places south to the Ibar River, but added that the number should remain the same as earlier. "We agreed that it would be bad if the elections were held only in the north. This would be a bad message of the international community, which is obliged to enable us to hold the elections on the whole territory of Kosovo, but also of Pristina, or some might say with reason that Pristina wants the division of Kosovo," the minister said. Bogdanovic underlined that talks with the OSCE are underway and that he expects a compromise to be found. "We do not want to put people at risk, but holding the elections on the entire territory of Kosovo remains our goal. We can organize the voting in the north without support, but, unfortunately, we cannot do that south to Ibar," he pointed out. Bogdanovic thanked Waldner for Austrian soldiers' participation in KFOR, since, as he put it, they contributed to reducing tensions, and expressed regret over the wounding of some of them during last July's riots at the administrative crossing in Jagnjenica. Goran Bogdanovic (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

Tensions in Kosovo "should be reduced"

During their meeting in Belgrade, the two officials "pointed to the necessity of holding the parliamentary and presidential elections in Kosovo, after which the Belgrade-Priština dialogue would be resumed, as the only way to resolve issues" - says a statement issued by the Ministry for Kosovo.

Waldner expressed Austria's readiness to fully support Serbia's further EU integration.

Bogdanović stated that Serbia does not want to organize the forthcoming elections in its southern province without the consent of relevant international organizations, and expressed hope that the OSCE will accept to help.

Austria will give us an adequate support, Bogdanović told Tanjug, stressing that he had asked the OSCE to help by observing the elections.

The OSCE should only observe the elections, and not determine the number of polling stations and other conditions, he said.

Bogdanović also pointed out that there is a tendency to reduce the number of polling places south to the Ibar River, but added that the number should remain the same as earlier.

"We agreed that it would be bad if the elections were held only in the north. This would be a bad message of the international community, which is obliged to enable us to hold the elections on the whole territory of Kosovo, but also of Priština, or some might say with reason that Priština wants the division of Kosovo," the minister said.

Bogdanović underlined that talks with the OSCE are underway and that he expects a compromise to be found.

"We do not want to put people at risk, but holding the elections on the entire territory of Kosovo remains our goal. We can organize the voting in the north without support, but, unfortunately, we cannot do that south to Ibar," he pointed out.

Bogdanović thanked Waldner for Austrian soldiers' participation in KFOR, since, as he put it, they contributed to reducing tensions, and expressed regret over the wounding of some of them during last July's riots at the administrative crossing in Jagnjenica.