UNMIK/PR/1133
PRISTINA – SRSG Harri Holkeri today met Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica in Belgrade and briefed him about the developments in Kosovo, including the standards and the Pristina-Belgrade direct dialogue.
Later Mr. Holkeri had a meeting with representatives of the Contact Group and the European Union.
In his meeting with Mr. Kostunica, Mr. Holkeri urged him to encourage Kosovo Serbs to participate in the standards implementation process. He informed him that he couldn’t offer a separate consultation process with them or Belgrade. “I will always be, and have been, transparent with them and with you. But to contribute to the process, and to the plan, they must participate in the process.”
Mr. Holkeri said “I am serious about the standards process as a genuine partnership between UNMIK and the people and institutions of Kosovo. We are producing the plan together with the government.”
On the issue of the direct dialogue, Mr. Holkeri said he was happy that the meeting of the first working group on energy last week had gone well, with both sides adopting constructive approaches. He said he hoped that the participants of all working groups, who are experts discussing technical issues, will not be diverted by political issues.
At the end of the visit, the SRSG addressed the media. Asked about Mr. Kostunica’s comments on cantonization of Kosovo, Mr. Holkeri said that neither the cantonization nor the partition of Kosovo is an issue for UNMIK. He said: “On the basis of UNSCR 1244 this kind of ideas or proposals are not on the table. But, of course, we are ready to listen to ideas and views of the Serbian Government.”