Belgrade, 22. 04. 2008.

UN SC ON KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

• SECURITY COUNCIL HOLDS SESSION ON KOSOVO
• RUCKER: UNMIK CONTINUES TO IMPLEMENT RESOLUTION 1244
• TADIC: SERBIA FOR CONTINUATION OF UNMIK MANDATE
• TADIC: THOSE WHO RECOGNISED KOSOVO SHOULD REEXAMINE DECISION
• US, BRITAIN OPPOSE HOLDING OF ELECTIONS IN KOSOVO

• REHN: SIGNING OF AGREEMENT BEFORE ELECTIONS STRONG MESSAGE
• TADIC: SERBIAN GOVT MUST SIGN SAA IF OFFERED BY EU
• KOSTUNICA: SAA IS NOT IN SERBIA'S INTEREST
• DJELIC ON POOR CHANCES FOR SIGNING SAA
• HOLLAND REMAINS UNMOVED
• KUBIS: SLOVAKIA WANTS SERBIA TO SIGN AGREEMENT RIGHT AWAY
• SLOVAKIA'S STAND OF PRINCIPLE ON KOSOVO IS IMPORTANT
• SERBIA, SLOVAKIA TO FOSTER COOPERATION IN DEFENSE

• LAVROV AND RUPEL DISCUSS KOSOVO
• PRISTINA OPPOSES MEETING BETWEEN UNMIK AND BELGRADE
• MESIC IN TIRANA: INDEPENDENT KOSOVO A REALITY
• SERBIA CANNOT ORGANIZE ELECTIONS IN KOSOVO - EP
• SVOBODA: ALBANIZATION OF VILLAGES BY EXPULSION OF SERBS

• SERBIA GETS EU PERMISSION TO EXPORT MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS

NEW YORK, April 21 (Beta) - The U.N. Security Council held a session devoted to Kosovo, at its headquarters in New York in the evening on April 21.

The session, held behind closed doors, discussed reports by Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker on the situation in Kosovo. The reports covered the period from mid December to early March.

In his address, President Boris Tadic presented Serbia's position on Kosovo after its unilateral proclamation of independence and on the future work of the U.N. mission in Kosovo.

Kosovo Premier Hashim Thaci was also present.

Ban Ki Moon did not attend the session because of other official duties.

In his report, the Secretary General said Resolution 1244 "remains in force until the Security Council decides differently," and added that UNMIK continues to work in line with that resolution.

NEW YORK, April 22 (Tanjug) - UNMIK chief Joachim Rucker said on Monday evening, at the UN Security Council session on Kosovo, that in the new circumstances, he would continue to perform his mandate in keeping with Resolution 1244, and that he would do that in the best way possible and in a pragmatic manner.

In the light of the newly presented events, I will continue performing UNMIK's mandate defined by Resolution 1244 in the best possible way and pragmatically, Rucker told the ambassadors of the 15 member countries of the world organisation, pointing out that his mission would not allow violence, parallel institutions or disrespect of UNMIK.

However, we have to accept the fact that the our surrounding is changing and that the realisation of this mandate does not mean the same thing as in 1999 when there were no Kosovo institutions and when UNMIK's interventions were required in every segment of the life in order to prevent total anarchy, the UNMIK chief said.

NEW YORK, April 21 (Beta) - Serbian President Boris Tadic on April 21 told the U.N. Security Council that Serbia demanded the continuation of the UNMIK mandate in Kosovo, in accordance with Resolution 1244, and expressly opposed the transfer of authority from UNMIK to any other body without a decision by the Council.

At a session dedicated to Kosovo, Tadic stressed that Serbia did not accept any "acknowledgement of the circumstances" arising after the unilateral proclamation of the province's independence and reiterated that Belgrade would never recognize that independence.

He also pointed out that Serbia's paramount internal and foreign policy goals were the preservation of its territorial integrity and integration into the European Union, adding that they could be achieved "only if realized in parallel."

In his address, Tadic stated that "the illegal proclamation of Kosovo and Metohija's independence" not only threatened the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia as a U.N. member, but "the illegal act of the Kosovo Albanians has led to the worsening of security in Kosovo and opened similar issues in other regions in the world."

Tadic criticized the lack of response from the U.N. to the independence proclamation and described as absolutely unacceptable the fact that the report under consideration on April 21 "does not cite Serbia's demands nor its arguments that 'the new reality' is the result of a violation of Resolution 1244."

He also warned that, according to that report and with the consent of UNMIK representatives, preparations were being implemented to put into effect the Martti Ahtisaari plan for the supervised independence of Kosovo, even though the plan was never considered nor accepted by the Security Council.

NEW YORK, April 22 (Tanjug) - Serbian President Boris Tadic called late on Monday, at a session of the UN Security Council in New York, on all the countries that had recognized the illegally proclaimed independence of Kosovo to reexamine their decision.

The ambassadors of the UN member countries proved once again that they are deeply divided over the resolution of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, and agreed, as it seems, only on one thing - that Resolution 1244 of the world organization’s most influential body was to remain in force. At the body's session dedicated to the report of the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), first of the kind ever since the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo on February 17, the members of the Security Council at the same time welcomed the determination of interested parties to prevent violence in the province.

This time, the session on Kosovo was held behind closed doors, because of the disputes among big powers over the way in which the president of the province's temporary government, Hasim Taci, would be presented. Taci addressed the 15 ambassadors in a private capacity, as required by Article 39 of the rules of procedure of the UN Security Council, according to which the body can invite anyone whose statement, could be useful for the debate that is under way. Judging by the debate in the Council, the new bone of contention are the Serbian May 11 elections, which will be held on Kosmet's territory as well.

Taci, UNMIK chief Joachim Rucker and the representatives of Great Britain and the United States strongly opposed the holding of local elections, assessing that such a move would cause additional divisions between the Serbs and Kosovo Albanians.

President Tadic, on the other hand, required support for the holding of the parliamentary, and, especially, the local elections in the province, and described them as an event of crucial importance for the consolidation of democracy in Serbia and its integration into the EU. Security Council Resolution 1244, according to Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, obliges all member countries to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia, Tadic reminded.

NEW YORK, April 22 (Tanjug) - The United States and Great Britain demanded from Serbia late on Monday to reexamine its decision on holding its elections in Kosovo as well, pointing out that the voting of just one ethnic group would represent an introduction into new divisions and would in no way whatsoever help pacify the situation in Kosovo.

Russia and Serbia persist in refusing to acknowledge the reality of Kosovo independence, British Ambassador to the UN John Sawers told reporters after the UN Security Council session on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija.

If monoethnic, elections in Kosovo will be of no help, Sawers assessed. We want Serbia to change its decision on the holding of elections in Kosovo, he added. The British stand was backed by US Ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad, who said that the US did not want the elections to be held in Kosovo, assessing that the outcome of such elections would be illegitimate.

BERLIN, April 21 (Beta) - European Union Commissioner Olli Rehn on April 21 came out in favor of signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement with Serbia before parliamentary elections in the country, but also pointed out that the document's ratification would only be possible if Belgrade cooperated fully with the Hague tribunal.

In an interview with the German daily Die Welt, when asked why the signing of the agreement with Belgrade prior to the May 11 elections was so important, Rehn replied that Brussels wanted to keep Serbia on the path to Europe.

The signing of that document will be a strong message demonstrating that the EU wants a European future for Serbia, Rehn stressed. He added that it was important that the agreement could be ratified only when Serbia fully cooperated with the Hague tribunal.

The signing must not result in doing away with any of the conditions that have been set for Belgrade, the enlargement commissioner said.

When asked how the EU intended to sign agreements with Kosovo as only 18 of the 27 member countries had recognized its independence, Rehn responded that Kosovo had European prospects.

The EU wants to contribute to the economic and social development of the new state. Therefore we must find a way to sign, for example, a trade agreement with Kosovo, Rehn stated.

The commissioner will meet with German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier on April 24, in Berlin.

NEW YORK, Apr 21 (Tanjug) - Serbian President Boris Tadic said Monday in New York in reaction to an announcement by the European Union that it might offer to Serbia to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement before the May 11 elections, that the Serbian government must sign this document of extraordinary state and national interest.

The government and the prime minister must sign SAA as any other conduct would violate the government decision for which all parties had voted, he told the press when asked to comment the statement earlier in the day by European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn that the UN intends to offer to Serbia to sign SAA before the early parliamentary elections of May 11. SAA has a top state and national interest for Serbia as it would pave the way for creating 200,000 new jobs, Tadic said.

SAA also clearly confirms the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 which constitutes the sole foundation for defending Serbia's sovereignty over Kosovo-Metohija, he said. He reiterated that SAA would not undermine but confirm the Resolution 1244 and that Serbia must sign any agreement which upholds the resolution.

As regards ratification of the energy agreement with Russia, Tadic said this would be done by the new parliament once it is constituted in order to prevent any questioning of its legal foundations. Ratification of this agreement is in Serbia's state and national interest, he noted.

BELGRADE, Apr 21 (Tanjug) - Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said that signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union, advocated Monday by European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn, is not in Serbia's state and national interest as it would be interpreted as acceptance of Kosovo independence.

Rehn supports both the unilateral declaration of Kosovo independence and signing SAA with Serbia, Kostunica said in reaction to Rehn's statement that the EU is ready to sign the SAA with Serbia before the early parliamentary elections scheduled for May 11. SAA is obviously in the interest of Rehn and EU High Commissioner for foreign policy and security Javier Solana, but not in Serbia's state and national interest as it would be interpreted as acceptance of Kosovo independence, he said in a statement presented to Tanjug.

He reiterated that coalitions or individuals who want to sign SAA can do so only on their own behalf, not on Serbia's behalf, he said. Such signatures will not be binding for Serbia and NATO cannot claim later that by signing SAA, Serbia also recognized Kosovo independence, he said.

JAGODINA, April 22 (Tanjug) - Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic has said that it will be a great honor for him to sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union if the document is to be offered for signing, but that the chances that this happens before May 11 are poor.

"It will be a great honor for me to sign the SAA on the behalf of our state if the document is to be offered to us, and I will regard this as a supreme act of patriotism," Djelic said, and added that "thee is little chance that the SAA be signed now, before the May 11 elections."

Djelic voiced expectation that by the end of the year, visas would be abolished for the Serbian citizens and the country would be given the status of candidate for EU membership, which, according to him, would also mean a lot more money for development, provided that pro-European forces won at the elections.

BELGRADE, April 22 (B92) - Dutch diplomat Henk Jan Ormel says his country continues to oppose the signing of the SAA with Serbia because of incomplete cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.

The president of the Dutch parliament's foreign policy committee is currently on a visit to Belgrade.

B92 understands that Ormel told Serbian officials yesterday that Holland was taking Belgrade's arguments into consideration, but for now remained unmoved.

Holland is very strongly opposed to the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia because of incomplete cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. Whether Holland will nevertheless drop its present demands will become clear on Thursday, when a session of the Dutch parliament's foreign policy committee is scheduled.

The issue of the SAA will also most probably be the main topic for discussion at the meeting of EU foreign ministers next week in Luxemburg, where Holland's position will be crucial in deciding whether that document is ultimately offered to Serbia

BRATISLAVA, April 21 (Beta) - Slovakia does not recognize the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo, but is ready to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement with Serbia right away, Slovak Foreign Minister Jan Kubis said on April 21, in Belgrade.

Slovakia would like the agreement with Serbia to be signed right away. It is an important step which would give Serbia and the European Union a chance to work together better, Kubis told journalists after meeting with his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic.

He added that his country supported Serbia as a future EU member, which, he said, was the position of most members of the 27nation bloc.

It is extremely important that there be a firm position among EU members, even those that are hesitant about signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement, of clearly considering Serbia a future partner of the EU, if that is what the people of Serbia want, Kubis said, adding that he would not trouble himself with the date of the signing.

He reiterated that Slovakia would not recognize Kosovo and Metohija and that the position of his country's government on that issue was unchanged.

Jeremic said he and Kubis had agreed that Serbia was a key country for the European future of the Western Balkans, adding that "an important institutional step that had to be taken was the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement between Serbia and the EU."

He emphasized that the signing of the document "in absolutely no way means giving up the primary fundamental state priority of Serbia, which is preserving the country's territorial sovereignty and integrity."

In talks with Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, Kubis said Slovakia's position was principled and consistent when it came to Kosovo and Metohija.

Kostunica pointed out that it was very important to Serbia that Slovakia stood for observing international law and that it would not recognize the unilaterally proclaimed independence of the province, a press release said.

BELGRADE, Apr 21 (Tanjug) - Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica met today with Slovak Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Kubis and said that Slovakia's principled stance that international law must be respected and that Slovakia will not recognize unilaterally proclaimed independence by Kosovo and Metohija is very important for Serbia.

Kubis underscored that Slovakia's stand is principled and consistent and that Bratislava will not recognize the unilaterally proclaimed independence by Kosovo-Metohija, it was said in a statement released after the meeting. Kostunica underscored that Serbia will continue its EU integration only as an integral state and that every agreement signed with the EU must preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia.

The Prime Minister said that the EU countries that had recognized the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo-Metohija directly violated the initialed Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) and stressed that Serbia cannot at the same time be a signatory to the continuation of the EU integration process and Kosovo independence. The two officials agreed that Serbia and Slovakia have very good relations, the statement read.

BELGRADE, Apr 21 (Tanjug) - Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac and Slovakian Foreign Minister Jan Kubis expressed Monday readiness of both countries to foster cooperation in the defense sector. Commending the cooperation so far, Sutanovac particularly pointed to the sectors of exchange of students, advanced training for General Staff officers and exchange of experiences within the NATO program Partnership for Peace, the Defense Ministry said in a release.

Kubis reiterated that Slovakia will not recognize the unilateral declaration of Kosovo independence and that it supports Serbia in the defense of its stand on Kosovo and its endeavors for integration in the European Union. He also commended the good cooperation between the Serbian Army and KFOR, pointing to the importance of maintaining peace and stability in Kosovo and avoiding any provocations, the release says.

MOSCOW, Apr 21 (Tanjug) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Slovenian counterpart Dimitrije Rupel discussed on Monday, in a telephone conversation, the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, Russia's Foreign Ministry stated on Monday. In a brief statement, the ministry said that the Kosovo situation was discussed during the conversation and that it was conducted on Rupel's initiative.

Russia' state news agency Itar-Tass quoted Lavrov as saying that the process of recognition of Kosovo is not being carried out according to a planned scenario and that it had been planned to persuade or force about 100 countries to do it, but that only 37 countries had recognized it, while more than 50 had explicitly said that they would not do it.

PRISTINA, Apr 21 (Tanjug) - Representatives of the provisional administration in Pristina have stated that they would not accept any agreement which might be reached by the authorities of Serbia and UNMIK office in Belgrade.

In a statement published by the Pristina daily Zeri, spokesman of the Kosovo president Dzavit Beciri and Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Hajredin Kuci rejected a possibility of the administration in Pristina accepting agreements regarding problems in Kosovo, because, they said, only the elected authorities of Kosovo are competent for something like that.

"It is a completed matter, Kosovo is an independent and sovereignty state. Only the legitimate representatives of Kosovo and no one else may decide about Kosovo and issues relating to Kosovo," said Kuci. According to him, the Kosovo government has yet to receive official information about the talks between the Belgrade U.N. office and the authorities in Belgrade.

UNMIK spokesman Sven Lindholm said in a statement published by Zeri that technical, and not status, issues are being discussed in Belgrade. He also confirmed that the meetings are focused on police, justice, customs, health and railway issues.

TIRANA, April 21 (Beta) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said on April 21, in Tirana, that an independent Kosovo was a new reality in the region that one must live with, the HINA news agency reported.

After meeting with his Albanian counterpart Bamir Topi, Mesic stressed that "there will always be room for a democratic and democratically committed Serbia in a united Europe" and that Croatia considered multifaceted cooperation with Serbia an indivisible part of its regional and European policy.

"We must get rid of old prejudices and misconceptions, stop being slaves to the past and historical or pseudohistorical myths and turn to the future. And our future is in mutual cooperation and a united Europe," Mesic said.

The Croatian president, who on April 21 began a two-day visit to Albania, stressed that "there is no alternative to regional cooperation" and the inclusion of all countries in Europe, because "the EU is the only protection against falling into deadly isolation and thus into dangerous radicalization."

BRUSSELS, Apr 21 (Tanjug) - A delegation of the European Parliament which visited Kosovo in the past five days said Monday in Brussels that it would be completely unacceptable for Serbia to organize local elections in Kosovo and that holding elections is under the sole jurisdiction of UNMIK, in keeping with the UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

The delegation endorsed the stand of UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker that Belgrade's request to organize local elections in Kosovo Serb municipalities on May 11 is completely unacceptable, the EP delegation said in a release. Belgrade cannot quote the Resolution 1244 only when it suits it, as that document clearly states that holding elections is under the sole jurisdiction of UNMIK, head of the delegation German MEP Doris Pack said. The delegation welcomed the adoption of Kosovo Constitution based on UN Envoy Martti Ahtisaari's plan.

VIENNA, Apr 21 (Tanjug) - Albanization of numerous villages in Kosovo and Metohija by expulsion of Serbs has lead this segment of the population in a grave situation, Hannes Swoboda, head of the Austrian delegation at the European Parliament, evaluated on Monday.

He said that the European Union should support development of Kosovo's economy, particularly in regards to the Serb minority.

"There is a good will on behalf of the Kosovo government to implement Ahtisaari's plan. However, there is a time pressure to help all of the minorities, which are in a difficult situation, particularly the Serb community," clarified Swoboda after the visit of an EU delegation to Kosovo. The official stand on the development of a new and multiethnic Kosovo is not supported by the entire population, said Swoboda, who is also the vice-president of the Social Democratic Party of Europe.

BELGRADE, April 21 (Beta) - Serbia has been given permission to export milk and dairy products to the European Union market, as well as to transport these products through EU member countries to other markets, the director of the Veterinary Administration of the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture, Miroslav Marinkovic, stated on April 21.

Serbia received permission from the European Commission's Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, and the official memorandum arrived at the Veterinary Administration on April 18.

The decision will soon be published in the EU Official Gazette, which means that Europe considers Serbia to be serious in regulating the production and marketing of milk in the best possible way, he said.

Marinkovic stated that all domestic producers whose products contain more than 6 percent milk will be able to export those products to the EU. At the same time, the possibility of marketing milk and dairy products in the EU and across the territory of EU member states increases the chances of large, multinational companies relocating their production to Serbia, Marinkovic thinks.

As was stated, there are currently 20 dairy farms in Serbia which have permission to export milk and dairy products to markets in other countries through the EU.