Serbia to conduct local elections in Kosovo, to offer agreement to UNMIK
The Serbian government has decided on Thursday to conduct local elections in Kosovo on May 11 and to offer a draft agreement to the UN mission, envisaging the regulation of relations in the field of police, customs, judiciary and health care.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Friday, April 18, 2008
The local elections will be held in Kosovo regardless of Unmik's position, the government said.
As far as the agreement is concerned, the government's vice Prime-Minister Bozidar Djelic said it was similar to the agreement signed in 2001 by the then Serbian deputy prime minister Nebojsa Covic and UNMIK head Hans Haekkerup.
"The idea is that in the newly created situation and for the purpose of stability on the ground, the already set negotiating team defines relations in the field of police, customs, judiciary and health care with UNMIK," Djelic said.
"Serbia does not want to have any disagreements with UNMIK, but wants them to stick to Resolution 1244. We had examples in the past few days when UNMIK representatives quoted the rejected Ahtisaari plan. In that sense, it is in our interest to have well regulated relations with UNMIK and KFOR, but we will not tolerate any of them leaving the framework of Resolution 1244," Djelic said.
