UNMIK/PR/1222
PRISTINA – SRSG Søren Jessen-Petersen called today on Serbian political leaders to encourage Kosovo Serbs to take part in Kosovo’s October general election.
Failure to make their participation possible would be a disservice to the Kosovo Serb community and could leave them outside political processes vital to Kosovo’s future, including for the Serbs, he said.
“We are now at a very crucial stage. We may have to move, after the elections, more determinedly towards status. Everyone in Kosovo, including the Kosovo Serbs, must be part of that dialogue, which means that they must participate in the democratic process,” Mr. Jessen-Petersen told a press conference in Belgrade today.
During the day, the SRSG met in Belgrade with Serbian President Boris Tadic, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and the foreign minister of Serbia and Montenegro, Vuk Draskovic.
“It was important to meet the president of Serbia and other important officials as early as possible. I need and I want to open a constructive and regular dialogue, to make sure that I am aware of your concerns here” in Belgrade, Mr. Jessen-Petersen said following his meeting with President Tadic.
The SRSG also spoke about the return of displaced Serbs, calling it a top priority that would get his personal attention as someone who has worked to return refugees for over 25 years. “There are returns happening,” though they have been delayed because of the riots in March, Mr. Jessen-Petersen said.
“Our job is to make sure that security conditions are in place,” he said. “It is the matter of creating the conditions that would allow IDPs to exercise their choice to go back or to stay.”