Post by Beach Police on Dec 9, 2007 22:10:30 GMT -5
"Churkin told reporters that a unilateral declaration of independence would
be contrary to international law and would not achieve Kosovo's aim of
membership in the United Nations or other international organizations."
UN chief gets report from envoys who failed to break deadlock on Kosovo's
future status
EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press Writer
Released : Friday, December 07, 2007 12:17 PM
UNITED NATIONS-Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon received a report Friday from
negotiators who say they have failed to break a deadlock on whether Kosovo
should remain part of Serbia or become independent as its ethnic Albanian
majority is demanding.
U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas said the report will be transmitted to
Security Council members on Sunday evening, just before the Dec. 10 deadline
for the negotiators from the United States, the European Union and Russia to
submit their findings.
The negotiators said they could not bridge the gap between Kosovo's Albanian
leadership which refused to budget on its demand for independence and the
Serbian government, which offered a high degree of autonomy to Kosovo but
insisted that the province remain part of Serbia, Russia's U.N. envoy said.
But Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters Friday that despite the failure
to reach an agreement, the 120 days of negotiations had produced some
positive results because for the first time in years the two sides had
engaged in "substantive dialogue."
"The talks revealed that a solution is possible," he said.
In light of that, Churkin said Russia will be calling for a continuation of
negotiations and will be circulating elements for a Security Council
statement aimed at encouraging more talks later Friday.
While Kosovo is a province of Serbia, it has been under U.N. and NATO
administration since a 78-day NATO-led air war in 1999 that halted former
Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic's crackdown on ethnic Albanian
separatists.
In April, U.N. envoy Martti Ahtisaari recommended that Kosovo be granted
internationally supervised independence.
His proposal was strongly supported by the province's ethnic Albanians, who
make up 90 percent of the 2 million population, as well as the U.S. and
European Union, but was vehemently opposed by Serbia and Russia.
Kosovo's leaders have said they soon will declare their independence while
the United States and European countries want a period of consultations with
Kosovo's leaders on how to move forward.
Churkin told reporters that a unilateral declaration of independence would
be contrary to international law and would not achieve Kosovo's aim of
membership in the United Nations or other international organizations.
calibre.mworld.com/m/m.w?lp=GetStory&id=284036281
be contrary to international law and would not achieve Kosovo's aim of
membership in the United Nations or other international organizations."
UN chief gets report from envoys who failed to break deadlock on Kosovo's
future status
EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press Writer
Released : Friday, December 07, 2007 12:17 PM
UNITED NATIONS-Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon received a report Friday from
negotiators who say they have failed to break a deadlock on whether Kosovo
should remain part of Serbia or become independent as its ethnic Albanian
majority is demanding.
U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas said the report will be transmitted to
Security Council members on Sunday evening, just before the Dec. 10 deadline
for the negotiators from the United States, the European Union and Russia to
submit their findings.
The negotiators said they could not bridge the gap between Kosovo's Albanian
leadership which refused to budget on its demand for independence and the
Serbian government, which offered a high degree of autonomy to Kosovo but
insisted that the province remain part of Serbia, Russia's U.N. envoy said.
But Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters Friday that despite the failure
to reach an agreement, the 120 days of negotiations had produced some
positive results because for the first time in years the two sides had
engaged in "substantive dialogue."
"The talks revealed that a solution is possible," he said.
In light of that, Churkin said Russia will be calling for a continuation of
negotiations and will be circulating elements for a Security Council
statement aimed at encouraging more talks later Friday.
While Kosovo is a province of Serbia, it has been under U.N. and NATO
administration since a 78-day NATO-led air war in 1999 that halted former
Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic's crackdown on ethnic Albanian
separatists.
In April, U.N. envoy Martti Ahtisaari recommended that Kosovo be granted
internationally supervised independence.
His proposal was strongly supported by the province's ethnic Albanians, who
make up 90 percent of the 2 million population, as well as the U.S. and
European Union, but was vehemently opposed by Serbia and Russia.
Kosovo's leaders have said they soon will declare their independence while
the United States and European countries want a period of consultations with
Kosovo's leaders on how to move forward.
Churkin told reporters that a unilateral declaration of independence would
be contrary to international law and would not achieve Kosovo's aim of
membership in the United Nations or other international organizations.
calibre.mworld.com/m/m.w?lp=GetStory&id=284036281