Brussels, 02/02/2007 (Agence Europe) - The EU has welcomed the initial proposals on the future of Kosovo which the UN emissary, Martti Ahtisaari, presented to the Serbs and the Albanian Kosovars on Friday, and called for both parties to accept it as a basis for work on the new round of consultations which Mr Ahtisaari hopes to organise in Vienna, starting on 12 February. Not until after these consultations, most probably in March, will he submit his final plan to the United Nations Security Council for a new status for Kosovo. The text put forward on Friday proposes a “multi-ethnic and self-governing democratic” Kosovo, with guarantees in place for the Serbian minority, without the word independence featuring anywhere in the text. It also suggests the appointment of an official holding a mandate from the United Nations and the EU, for a period of 120 days further to the adoption of a new UN resolution, to supervise Kosovo instead of the current UN mission. The EU would deploy a police force alongside the current UN peacekeeping force. Kosovo would be authorised to join international agreements and apply to international bodies.
The German Presidency of the EU “expressly supports Martti Ahtisaari's intention of carrying out in-depth talks with both sides and of organising more talks between the parties on the basis of this proposal, in the weeks following its tabling”. It calls upon Belgrade and Pristina “to tackle these discussions seriously and without reservation”. Javier Solana urged both parties to commit to talks on the basis of Mr Ahtisaari's proposal. “I expect both sides to show responsibility, flexibility and to acknowledge the need for a realistic compromise solution”. Olli Rehn spoke along the same lines, pointing out that the EU has committed in favour of the “European prospects” of the western Balkans. (hb)