Posted on 03/30/2005 9:29:01 AM PST by NickyStar
PETERSEN REFLECTS ON BELGRADE VISIT| 14:10 -> 17:47 March 30 | B92, Beta
BELGRADE, PRISTINA, ATHENS -- Wednesday – Kosovo governor Soeren Jessen Petersen met with newly-appointed Kosovo Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi today, after spending all of Sunday and Monday meeting with Serbian officials in Belgrade.
Commenting on his Belgrade visit, Petersen said that Belgrade finally understands that only dialogue with the Kosovo government regarding Kosovo’s final status can lead to positive processes in the region. Petersen briefed Kosumi on everything that was discussed in Belgrade.
“It is good that Belgrade has accepted the fact that discussion for the status of Kosovo can begin this year. Also, I am glad that I witnessed their readiness for dialogue. The continuation of discussions regarding missing persons, the return of refugees and electricity problems has also been agreed upon. In Belgrade, we discussed some other issues that need to be talked about further, as well.” Petersen said.
Petersen said that he asked Belgrade to encourage Kosovo Serbs to take their places in the Kosovo parliament and in work groups for the decentralization of the government, as well as to let Serbian representatives know that the decentralization discussions will take place in Pristina and the Kosovo institutions and that Belgrade can participate in an advisory role to the Kosovo Serb officials.
Kosumi said that the Kosovo government is set to continue discussion with Belgrade, but only regarding technical questions.
“DON'T BELIEVE THE SERBIAN MEDIA”
Petersen visited the Bujanovac Refugee Center today where over 300 Serbs and Romas who left Kosovo six years ago are still located.
The refugees were hesitant to take the UNMIK chief’s word that it is safe for them to return to their homes in Kosovo.
Petersen said that they need to return to Kosovo and that they should not believe everything they hear from the Serbian media.
“Let me state very clearly that what you hear from the Serbian media is a lot of the time, not true. Yesterday there was a case that the Serbian media reported of a older married couple who were brutally beaten in Crkolez. There were claims that the attack was ethnically motivated and perpetrated by Albanians. I can tell you that this is not the truth. What happened over there hits a lot closer to home.” Petersen said, and invoked a tumultuous reaction from the audience.
KOSOVO SERBS DISAPPOINTED
Kosovo Serb representative Gojko Savic said that Serbs in Kosovo are tremendously disappointed by the outcome of Petersen’s visit to Belgrade.
“The UNMIK Chief will write in his report that he ‘followed through with the visit,’ that Tadic once again called for full cooperation and the participation of Serbs in Kosovo institutions, and that Kostunica once again, said nothing. And this lack of comment on the part of the prime minister is what takes us back to where we started.” Savic said.
“BELGRADE'S STANCE IS IRRELEVANT”
United States Presidential Advisor Bruce Jackson sand that Serbia, as well as all other European countries, has a right to state its opinion, but does not have the right to veto any decisions made regarding Kosovo’s final status.
“Not accepting the independence of Kosovo is a stance that Serbian politicians probably think that they can state, but it will have no effect on the outcome of the situation. We have to take the appropriate measures towards the independence of Kosovo and its membership into the European Union some time this decade.” Jackson told a Greek television station.
Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova told the same station that Belgrade lost the right to make decisions regarding Kosovo in 1999.
“I new era has begun in Kosovo, a new reality. Independence is our prerequisite for becoming Europeans.” Rugova said, adding that independence in Kosovo will bring stability to this region of the Europe.
Sounds as if Soros and his folks dicatated the entire report.
Don't try and tell anyone this. After all, it wasn't on the 'news'.
Petersen's a liar: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1372271/posts
B92 is Soros-owned 'media' outlet.
Albanaians are running drugs through Bujanovac and will demand that town as theirs shortly.
ma bell,
Are there any of our troops left in Kosovo or have Euros completely taken it over?
The EU has taken over in Bosnia and we have less than 200 left there (NOT under EU control)--training the Bosnian Army and some special ops & aviation to hunt down the remaining war criminals.
I doubt it. The article you linked to was written a day earlier than Petersen made his comments--it and others like it were probably what he was referring to.
Personally, having spent time in that area and having to actually react to go check on printed stories that turned out to be completely fictitious, I agree with Petersen and raise him one. I don't trust any of those Balkans papers when they talk about what is going on in a neighboring country.
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