Brussels, 15/02/2001 (Agence Europe) - During the visit by the Serb Deputy Prime Minister, Nebojsa Covic, and the Yugoslav Minister for Foreign Affairs, Goran Svilanovic, who came to present in Brussels the peace plan for the Serb valley of Presevo, the EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana proposed that six additional observers be sent to the EU observation mission in the Presevo Valley. The EU observation mission is the only international civilian presence in the Presevo valley to carry out regular monitoring, recalled Mr Solana in underlining the value of reinforcing this mission. The role and importance of the EU mission was already broached during talks between the Troika and the Belgrade authorities, last week.
In NATO, where he went before meeting the EU Political and Security Committee (COPS), Mr Covic also underlined that the Yugoslav and Serb governments feel that international assistance should help to find a peaceful solution to the crisis. Nebojsa Covic said he was open to all suggestions, including "proposals from the Albanian Community". Though, he added, it is not a question of changing borders or talking of autonomy for the region of Presevo and "everybody must build the country and live together". For the sake of the population, it requires moving "gradually" and integrating the Albanians into the institutions, he added. Mr Covic also confirmed that Belgrade favours a narrowing of the land security zone between Kosovo and Serbia. "There is no longer a need for such a wide security zone", as there no longer are "any hostilities between the army and the Yugoslav police and KFOR", he felt.
The COPS meeting should continue into the early evening and should be followed by a working dinner between Javier Solana and the Serb and Yugoslav Ministers.
Commission announces EUR 900,000 aid in Presevo valley
On its side, the European Commission announced, on Thursday, an aid of EUR 900,000 for projects in the Presevo valley. This aid, which is financed in the framework of the emergency aid programme adopted last year for Serbia, is aimed at the reconstruction and equipping of six primary schools for equipment for the municipalities and the improvement of water supply. Commissioner Patten underlined on this occasion that this aid has as aim to contribute towards the economic and social aspects of the peace plan for the Presevo valley. "The Commission is in the process of examining the long-term aid it will be able to bring" thanks to the 240 million allocated for aid to Serbia in the 2001 budget, he added.