Belgrade against delays to Kosovo talks

11 January 2011 | 13:25 | Source: B92, Tanjug

BELGRADE -- The Belgrade-Priština talks are awaiting the forming of a new government in Priština, says Ministry for Kosovo official Oliver Ivanović. Oliver Ivanović (Beta, file) He explained that the Marty report did not have any direct influence on the postponement of negotiations. The CoE investigator's report named Kosovo Albanian PM Hashim Thaci of being responsible for kidnappings of Serbs in the province and sale of their organs in the black market. The state secretary told B92 in Belgrade on Tuesday that any delays to the talks did not suit Belgrade. Ivanović asserted that the Marty report, and another dealing with witness protection in Kosovo - which are due to be submitted to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on January 25 and 26 - will create "a different political climate in Kosovo". He believes that after the reports were made public, "international missions in Kosovo became aware that a problem had been recorded". "Many in international missions thought that their mandates would go by without having to handle the hot potato, since they did not bring up subjects such as ethnically motivated crime and organ trafficking," said he. As for the Serb community in the province, Ivanović said they saw the situation as "very unpleasant, awakening a little hope, and reminding them of 1999". "Objectively, we consider this an Albanian issue, because they have been allowed to get away with all sorts of things," according to the state secretary. There are many unresolved issues, he continued, and for that reason Serbia does not favor delays in the announced talks. "We tried to solve some of the issues using the European Union and other international mediators and did not succeed," said Ivanović. As for Belgrade's platform for the negotiations, he said it was defined by the Constitution, parliamentary resolutions and the government program, and that it would be made public once it had been adopted by the government. Ivanović said the first subject of the talks will likely be missing persons. As for the long-term goal of the talks with ethnic Albanians, he stated those were "to pacify the territory and the population, economic perspective and creation of democratic institutions".  "EULEX should react" The reports by two rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Dick Marty and Jean Charles Gardetto, should give the full picture regarding the rule of law in Kosovo and incite the EU Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) to action, Oliver Ivanović said in a separate interview on Tuesday. A clear message should be sent to the EU, Brussels and EULEX, which has had trouble from the start in defining its mission, since it was often under political pressure and limited in terms of options, Ivanović told state broadcaster RTS. EULEX should be incited to act and finally investigate the difficult cases, Ivanović noted. There are several big crimes that have to get court closure, like the 1999 murder of 14 farmers in Staro Gracko and the 2001 killing of children in Goraždevac, he explained. PACE will discuss Marty's report on human organ trafficking and Gardetto's on witness protection during its meeting on January 25-26. The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly will discuss Marty's report on human organ trafficking and Gardetto's on witness protection during its meeting on January 25-26. Gardetto's report describes the situation in Kosovo as alarming, stating that witnesses who dare speak about war crimes are being murdered. Marty's report will be on the agenda January 25, while Gardetto's will be reviewed the next day.