(19/06/06) AHTISAARI ANNOUNCES NEXT ROUND OF FINAL STATUS NEGOTIATIONS. (Balkan Watch)

• 2006-06-27
• Europa in de wereld

The UN’s chief mediator for the Kosovo talks, Martti Ahtisaari, announced that ethnic Serb and Albanian leaders will meet at the end of July to each present their own proposals for the future of Kosovo. This meeting will also be the first time that high-level Kosovo Albanian and Serb officials meet to discuss final status. Ahtisaari mentioned that he merely wanted to bring the groups together to allow each to make their own case and to have a free discussion. Thus far, six rounds of talks have failed to yield any major agreements. Some minor discussions have led to tentative agreement on a number of small issues, including local government reform and protection of Serb religious sites. Ahtisaari also plans to consult with the Security Council in early July before allowing each of the Kosovo Albanian and Serb delegations to make their proposals. He also recently returned from a three-day trip to Kosovo, where he visited Mitrovica, which is divided between Serbs and Kosovo Albanians. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan also encouraged the parties involved in the ongoing final political status talks to be more willing to make concessions and encouraged Kosovo Serbs to increase their participation in Kosovo’s political organizations.