Kosova’s status to be completed in May, says president

TIRANA, May 8 – Kosova’s President Fatmir Sejdiu said Tuesday that the province’s independent status would be finalized this month.
In an interview with the Albanian Shekulli newspaper, Sejdiu said that following 15 months of negotiations under the leadership of U.N. envoy Martti Ahtisaari, it is expected that the U.N. Security Council would discuss Kosova’s status in May to formalize its independence.
Sejdiu said that U.N. Resolution 1244 has been carried out and a new resolution had to pass to make Kosova an independent state.
Sejdiu stressed that Kosova did not intend to stay within Serb territory nor join any other country, including Albania.
Kosova President Sejdiu said the U.N. mission would not change or have any effect on the proposal made by envoy Ahtisaari.
Kosova’s future status is being discussed at the U.N. Security Council amid demands by ethnic Albanians for independence and Serbia’s efforts to prevent secession. U.N. and NATO officials have appealed for calm while the negotiations continue over the contested territory.
Sejdiu said he had no reason to be pessimistic about Russia’s stand on the status of Kosava. Sejdiu said that though Russia remained unresolved on Ahtisaari’s proposal, it had not made clear that it would veto the decision, as it is very much interested in having a calm Balkan region.
The Kosova president also said he opposes recent statements that the Serb paramilitary would prepare to intervene in Kosova if it declares its independence. He criticized Belgrade for maintaining its nationalistic policy and not accepting Kosova’s independence.
Sejdiu said that upon independence, Kosova would open the way to foreign investment coming from the diaspora and also international institutions to give a boost to its mineral industry and agriculture.
“Kosova will be an important partner in the regional communication. It will also prove itself in the European communication,” he said.