Zannier wishes to tackle "simple problems first"

The head of the UN mission in the province, UNMIK, told Belgrade's Vecernje Novosti daily in an interview that "things should be depoliticized and big issues left aside".

"The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that whenever I go to New York I still see the Security Council divided over Kosovo. The different opinions affect issues in the field. The process of recognition (of Kosovo Albanian UDI) is not as the Kosovo side expected. Everything is prone to become politicized," Zannier was quoted as saying.

Regarding the outcome of the Kosovo case now at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is deliberating the legality under international law of the Kosovo Albanian proclamation, Zannier said that the UN General Assembly would decide on the need to hold a debate about the ruling, which is expected this year.

"There is no ‘menu' of measures the UN General Assembly can choose from when the ICJ submits its reply about the Kosovo case. The starting point of the discussion at the General Assembly will be the court's opinion itself, and we should wait for it. The General Assembly will decide if there is a need for a debate. There is no predetermined pattern," he said.

When asked if, should the ICJ in some way say that the unilaterally declared independence was legal, this would send a message that UN management of a territory was just a step away from its secession, the UNMIK chief answered negatively.

"The fact that I'm here and that UNMIK is acting even after the proclamation of independence says that it will not be so," said he.

Concerning the last report of the UN secretary general, which said that the security situation in Kosovo was "relatively calm, but potentially fragile", Zannier said that he "would not describe it as a failure but as a constant challenge for the international community".

Asked if there was a chance for Belgrade and Pristina to sit and talk about practical issues, he replied that there were fields where communication was working on a technical level, "for example regarding the missing persons or reconstruction of Orthodox monasteries".

Concerning Pieter Feith's "integration strategy" for northern Kosovo, Zannier said that he had neither been consulted about this document, nor included in its implementation.

"I don't see that the strategy will change anything in the functioning of UNMIK, and Serbs will decide for themselves in what way they will get involved with other participants," he concluded.