OSCE Mission welcomes investigation of fatal shooting in southern Serbia
Head of OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro, Maurizio Massari (left), at the fourth meeting of the South East Europe Prosecutor Advisory Group in Belgrade, 14 December 2004. (OSCE/Milan Obradovic) Photo details
BELGRADE, 13 January 2005 - The Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro, Ambassador Maurizio Massari, has welcomed the decision of the Serbian Government to establish a multi-ethnic commission to investigate the death of an ethnic Albanian youth on the border between Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Ambassador Massari also welcomed the plans of the Serbian Government to restructure the Co-ordinating Body for southern Serbia.
"I hope this will be done in a manner that enables representatives of the ethnic Albanian community in southern Serbia to join the Co-ordinating body as well as to participate substantively in its work," he said.
" It is also important for the stability of the region that the Co-ordinating body should be given the means to address the socio-economic problems."
Ambassador Massari also commended statements by senior Serbia and Montenegro officials that the State Union remains committed to the transfer of control of international borders in southern Serbia from the State Union Defence Ministry to the Serbian Ministry of Interior Ministry, and that the authorities will endeavour to open additional border crossing-points for local residents. He said he was confident that this would lead to greater security and freedom of movement for the population living in the border regions.
"I believe these steps will contribute to the great progress that has been made in the past four years in reducing ethnic tensions in southern Serbia and encourage socio-economic development," he added.
Ambassador Massari stressed the assistance provided by the OSCE Mission for the training of multi-ethnic community policing elements, the training of local judicial staff and the establishing of multi-ethnic broadcast media.
"While much remains to be done by all parties, the OSCE and others from the international community have provided important assistance to southern Serbia in order to promote stability in that region," said Massari.
Ambassador Massari also welcomed the plans of the Serbian Government to restructure the Co-ordinating Body for southern Serbia.
"I hope this will be done in a manner that enables representatives of the ethnic Albanian community in southern Serbia to join the Co-ordinating body as well as to participate substantively in its work," he said.
" It is also important for the stability of the region that the Co-ordinating body should be given the means to address the socio-economic problems."
Ambassador Massari also commended statements by senior Serbia and Montenegro officials that the State Union remains committed to the transfer of control of international borders in southern Serbia from the State Union Defence Ministry to the Serbian Ministry of Interior Ministry, and that the authorities will endeavour to open additional border crossing-points for local residents. He said he was confident that this would lead to greater security and freedom of movement for the population living in the border regions.
"I believe these steps will contribute to the great progress that has been made in the past four years in reducing ethnic tensions in southern Serbia and encourage socio-economic development," he added.
Ambassador Massari stressed the assistance provided by the OSCE Mission for the training of multi-ethnic community policing elements, the training of local judicial staff and the establishing of multi-ethnic broadcast media.
"While much remains to be done by all parties, the OSCE and others from the international community have provided important assistance to southern Serbia in order to promote stability in that region," said Massari.