Von Sydow not to address Kosovo's CoE membership
Bjorn von Sydow, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Rapporteur for Kosovo, has stated that the will not address Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe (CoE) in the report he is preparing for January, and added that he wants to gain insight in how the Serbian authorities see the standards in Kosovo.
(KosovoCompromiseStuff) Thursday, November 15, 2012
I expect that the talks will focus on the Serb minority, including the Serbs in northern Kosovo and their relations. Because, my report is focusing on standards, said von Sydow, who will be paying an official visit to Belgrade on November 15-16, as a part of the preparations for his report.
Von Sydow told Belgrade-based daily Vecernje novosti that the most important issue is to make sure that people in Kosovo live in accordance with European standards. He added that Kosovo's status will not be discussed during his visit to Belgrade.
My interlocutors will maybe raise different questions about the status but this will not be part of my upcoming report. Kosovo Serbs have ties with the Serbian administration. This is the reason I am coming. And Serbia is a Council of Europe member, the PACE rapporteur for Kosovo was quoted as saying.
Commenting on his recent visit to Kosovo, von Sydow said that democracy and human rights are going in the right direction, but that this takes time.
I spoke with the authorities in Pristina about corruption, crime, the rule of law, inefficiency of the system, position of women, domestic violence. Many steps still need to be made, he stressed.
When asked whether the political dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina will be successful, von Sydow said that he sees the continuation of the dialogue as a true improvement.
Serbian and Kosovo Prime Ministers Ivica Dacic and Hasim Taci have stated that they will improve the negotiations, he said.
Von Sydow told Belgrade-based daily Vecernje novosti that the most important issue is to make sure that people in Kosovo live in accordance with European standards. He added that Kosovo's status will not be discussed during his visit to Belgrade.
My interlocutors will maybe raise different questions about the status but this will not be part of my upcoming report. Kosovo Serbs have ties with the Serbian administration. This is the reason I am coming. And Serbia is a Council of Europe member, the PACE rapporteur for Kosovo was quoted as saying.
Commenting on his recent visit to Kosovo, von Sydow said that democracy and human rights are going in the right direction, but that this takes time.
I spoke with the authorities in Pristina about corruption, crime, the rule of law, inefficiency of the system, position of women, domestic violence. Many steps still need to be made, he stressed.
When asked whether the political dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina will be successful, von Sydow said that he sees the continuation of the dialogue as a true improvement.
Serbian and Kosovo Prime Ministers Ivica Dacic and Hasim Taci have stated that they will improve the negotiations, he said.
