UNMIK/PR/1466
PRISTINA – SRSG Søren Jessen-Petersen and KFOR Deputy Commander Major-General Xavier Bout de Marnhac [representing COMKFOR Lt-Gen. Giuseppe Valotto] this afternoon co-chaired the quarterly meeting of the Kosovo Protection Corps Development Group (KPCDG) at UNMIK headquarters. Participants at the meeting included Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi, KPC Co-ordinator Maj.-Gen. Jamie Balfour, KPC Commander Lt.-Gen. Agim Çeku, representatives of the Quint [US, UK and France], the Dutch Liaison Office and the European Commission.
The KPCDG praised the progress made by the KPC in implementing Standard 8, in particular the increased recruitment of ethnic minorities – from 4.8% to 6.1% over the last 12 months. The SRSG particularly welcomed Lt.-Gen. Ceku’s commitment to working even harder in the continued implementation of the Standard.
The meeting also discussed proposals for preparing the KPC for the future. The proposals cover areas such as security sector reform, education, leadership courses and English language proficiency, among others.
The KPCDG emphasised the need for continued financial and political support for the achievement of Standard 8 goals and the development of the KPC into a professional, modern organization. It highlighted in particular the need for additional funding in the area of de-mining, including Mine Risk Education.
The Development Group also took note of the new KPC Disciplinary Code, which Lt.-Gen. Ceku signed into effect today. The new Code, which had been previously signed by COMKFOR and the KPC Coordinator, transfers responsibility for investigation and staffing of disciplinary cases from KFOR to the KPC, thereby giving the KPC the capacity for self-governance and internal regulation.