OSCE Chairman-in-Office calls on Serbian authorities to negotiate "compromise solution" for Kosovo

BELGRADE, 17 February 2006 - Concluding a three-day visit to Podgorica, Pristina and Belgrade, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, urged the Serbian authorities today to negotiate a compromise solution for the future status of Kosovo.

"I encourage you to come to an agreement on the Kosovo question that is forward-looking," he told Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica. "I made it very clear during my meetings yesterday in Kosovo that in my judgment the local authorities there have not made enough progress with the decentralization process and the Standards implementation, particularly regarding the protection of minority communities."

The Chairman-in-Office also cautioned that if the region wanted to be integrated into the European Union, the habit of thinking in ethnic categories needed to be avoided. "I think the only future of this region should be a multi-ethnic one, with equal rights for majority and minority communities," he said.

In talks with State Union Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic, the CiO raised the issue of the State Union status and the proposal of EU Special Envoy Ambassador Miroslav Lajcak regarding the conditions for a possible referendum in Montenegro.

"I welcome the statement by Minister Draskovic that Serbia will respect the EU proposals, and I hope that an agreement on them will be reached between the Government and the pro-union opposition in Montenegro," he told the press after the meeting.

"My own feeling is that the Lajcak plan tackles the real situation on the ground. However, it is very important for the stability in the region that all terms for the referendum are agreed upon so that the outcome cannot be questioned afterwards. The OSCE stands ready to assist with the monitoring of this process," Minister De Gucht said.

Prior to his visit to Belgrade, the Chairman-in-Office discussed the referendum issue with President of the State Union Svetozar Marovic, Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, Parliament Speaker Ranko Krivokapic, Foreign Minister Miodrag Vlahovic, and representatives of opposition parties.

During his meetings in Podgorica, Minister De Gucht said that Montenegro's right to organize a referendum on independence was undisputable. "However, the international community has a legitimate interest that this process takes place in a fair manner and that its potential impact on regional stability is taken into consideration," he added.

The Chairman-in-Office also said that the question of Montenegro's status had divided its society and distracted attention from the democratic reform process.

In Belgrade, the OSCE Chairman discussed with Serbian President Boris Tadic and Minister for Human and Minority Rights Rasim Ljajic the country's compliance record with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

He concluded his visit with talks with the president of the War Crimes Chamber of the Belgrade District Court, Sinisa Vazic, and with the mayors of the southern Serbian municipalities Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja.