Kosovo's Status On Hold Until Relations Improve -UN Envoy
BELGRADE (AP)--A U.N. envoy said Monday that more work is needed to improve tense relations between Kosovo's Serbs and ethnic Albanians before talks can begin on the contested province's future status. Kai Eide, a Norwegian diplomat, was appointed by U.N. Secretary-general Kofi Annan in June to review how far Kosovo has come in reaching a list of U.N.-set targets for democracy and minority rights and to make suggestions on the way forward. "More needs to be done in Kosovo, not only on better ethnic relations, but also about the rule of law in Kosovo," Eide said after his talks with Serbia- Montenegro Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic. But Eide didn't rule out delivering a "more positive" report to Annan by next month, which could pave the way for U.N.-mediated negotiations on Kosovo's future status. The province's majority ethnic Albanians want full independence, but the Serb minority and Belgrade insist Kosovo remain part of Serbia-Montenegro. Draskovic said after meeting Eide that Kosovo "is not even close to the start of talks on its future status." He described conditions for Serbs in Kosovo as " extremely difficult." Kosovo has been under the administration of both the U.N. and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization since a 78-day NATO-led air war that halted a Serb crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists in 1999. But tensions in Kosovo remain high six years after the end of the conflict. About 100,000 minority Serbs mostly live in isolated enclaves, guarded by NATO troops and fearing attacks from ethnic Albanian militants. Belgrade officials insist the position of Serbs in Kosovo must improve before talks on the province's future can start. Belgrade also demands that some 200, 000 Serbs who fled the province in the wake of the war be allowed to return to the region. This is Eide's third visit to the region since his appointment. He came to Belgrade after a visit to Kosovo where he met local ethnic Albanian and Serb officials. (END) Dow Jones Newswires 08-22-051110ET http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20050822\ACQDJON20050 8221110DOWJONESDJONLINE000265.htm&selected=9999&selecteddisplaysymbol=9999&S toryTargetFrame=_top&mkt=WORLD&chk=unchecked&lang=&link=&headlinereturnpage= http://www.international.na Serbian News Network - SNN [email protected] http://www.antic.org/
