April 30, 2004

ERP KiM Newsletter 30-04-04

Lawmakers unanimously approve Serbian government's plan for Kosovo

The government's plan does not aim to stipulate the final status of Kosovo-Metohija, the Prime Minister went on to say, explaining that the province's status has been determined by the Serbian Constitution and Resolution 1244 which confirms Serbia-Montenegro's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as a substantial autonomy for Kosovo-Metohija as part of the state union.

The full text of the plan is available as a MS Word doc attachment

Prime Minister Kostunica presents the Plan for political solution of the situation in Kosovo

SERBIAN GOVERNMENT

Belgrade, April 29, 2004 - The Serbian parliament voted unanimously to adopt a government-proposed plan for a political solution to the situation in Kosovo-Metohija. Seven deputies out of the 215 present did not vote.

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica addressed the parliament to expound the document, saying that the proposed plan for a political solution to the current situation in Kosovo-Metohija calls for power decentralisation and territorial autonomy in order to protect Serbs and other non-Albanians in the province.

From now on, Serbia's policy on Kosovo-Metohija should be based on the plan which guarantees the status of local Serbs, their survival and return to the province, said Kostunica. The plan, which fully complies with international and domestic documents on Kosovo-Metohija, also proposes a system of legal and institutional guarantees for the local Serb population, the Prime Minister added.

The international community's policy in Kosovo-Metohija, carried out by UNMIK and KFOR, has proved utterly inefficient in the actual implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, the Prime Minister said. Over the past five years, the implementation of this policy in reality meant drawing closer to the ethnic Albanian goal of an independent and ethnically pure Kosovo-Metohija, Kostunica stressed.

The government's plan does not aim to stipulate the final status of Kosovo-Metohija, the Prime Minister went on to say, explaining that the province's status has been determined by the Serbian Constitution and Resolution 1244 which confirms Serbia-Montenegro's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as a substantial autonomy for Kosovo-Metohija as part of the state union.

The plan is also in line with a resolution on Kosovo-Metohija which the Serbian parliament adopted on March 26, Kostunica said, noting that the resolution describes three basic guidelines for drafting a political solution to the current situation in the province.

The guidelines confirm that Kosovo-Metohija is an integral part of Serbia and Serbia-Montenegro, call for securing conditions for the survival, safety and return of Kosovo-Metohija Serbs, as well as for new institutional guarantees for local Serbs and improved protection of their rights.

According to the Prime Minister, the plan is also in line with relevant international conventions for the protection of human rights, fundamental freedoms and minority rights, particularly Europe's vast experience in protecting minority rights through territorial autonomy.

If it has failed to prevent ethnic cleansing in Kosovo-Metohija and remained deaf to frequent demands from Belgrade and Kosovo-Metohija Serbs that institutional protection of provincial Serbs must be improved, the international community now has the chance to demonstrate determination to resolve this problem, said Kostunica. The plan's implementation, as well as the entire policy in Kosovo-Metohija, is largely in the hands of the international community, he explained.

The plan may be subject to changes, but its essence must remain unchanged, the Prime Minister concluded. Stressing that it is of great importance that the parliament approves the plan, Kostunica added that it cannot be instantly implemented. If there is an issue that is of state importance in every sense of the word, Kosovo-Metohija and the survival and return of Serbs in the province is it, Kostunica said.

There is no doubt that all deputies in the parliament share this view of the Kosovo problem, the Prime Minister went on to say, calling on lawmakers to translate this view into a political programme and a unanimous stance of the state. Such a message would help the government win international approval for the plan and its gradual implementation, Kostunica said.

Kostunica, Busek on Kosovo-Metohija

SERBIAN GOVERNMENT

Belgrade, April 29, 2004 - Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica met today with Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe Erhard Busek to discuss the current situation in Kosovo-Metohija and the Serbian government's Plan for a political solution to the current situation in Kosovo-Metohija. Kostunica said the Plan, adopted by the Serbian parliament today, envisions autonomy for Kosovo Serbs, so as to prevent another March 17.

Busek said it is very important that a plan for resolution of the situation in Kosovo-Metohija exists, stressing that the Plan represents a starting point for realistic and constructive talks. He also said that the Stability Pact will continue its cooperation with Serbia-Montenegro.

Kostunica said the government's priorities are to strengthen democratic institutions and promote the rule of law. He added that cooperation within the state union has improved and announced the setting up of a court of Serbia-Montenegro.

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