PRIŠTINA, BELGRADE — Talks continued yesterday night between Kosovo leaders and international officials over the six points of the EULEX deployment, though no agreement was reached.
Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci met in Priština with representatives of the Contact Group member-states—minus Russia—and with EU Special Representative to Kosovo Pieter Feith.
Sources close to the talks told Priština media that no agreement had been reached and that the Kosovo side remained adamant that it would not accept the six-point plan agreed on between the UN and Belgrade.
The same sources say that Kosovo institution leaders stated that “the core of the six-point plan comprises Belgrade’s conditions for deploying EULEX in Kosovo.”
Kosovo officials have opposed the agreement reached between Belgrade and the UN.
Details of that agreement have yet to be published.
The six-point proposal is part of the plan for reconfiguring the international civil presence in Kosovo, and pertains to the police, judiciary, customs, borders, protection of cultural and religious buildings, as well as traffic and telecommunications in the province.
Agreement was reached between UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the Serbian side at the beginning of last week.
“Serbia welcomes EULEX’s presence in Kosovo provided EULEX respects the principle of neutrality and provided that decision is taken by the UN Security Council,” said President Boris Tadić yesterday.
However, the agreement does not suit the Kosovo Albanians, who rejected it on Monday.
As a result, the Kosovo government is under pressure currently from Brussels and New York to soften its position in order to reach a compromise.
Thaci, however, said in Priština yesterday that he continued to oppose the six-point plan.
“Kosovo works closely with the relevant international officials with a view to finding a solution that respects Kosovo’s independence, her sovereignty, the constitution of our republic, the document of President Ahtisaari and Kosovo’s territorial integrity. Priština will not be pressured. This process is still open. Belgrade can propose what it wants, but Belgrade’s dream of undermining Kosovo’s sovereignty died and was laid to rest on February 17 this year,” he underlined.
However, Priština media unofficially report that the Kosovo government has begun wilting under international pressure to accept the plan.
According to daily Koha Ditore, Priština is now setting forth its conditions for accepting the plan.
November 14 is the date being touted for the next Security Council session to discuss the EULEX deployment.
