The Finnish diplomat said everyone in Kosovo, even the Albanians, realised that the presence of the international community was still required. He added that before arriving in Montenegro, his talks focused on how to decentralise administration, create conditions for those wishing to return to Kosovo, and improve the protection of minorities.
Although the Montenegrin government is not an immediate participant in the negotiations, Montenegro's views on this issue are very important for us, said Ahtisaari. He added that when he became chief negotiator for Kosovo, he was asked to consult not only with the sides directly involved in the negotiations on the status of the province, but also with regional factors, and that this was why he decided to visit Podgorica and Tirana after Belgrade.
After talks with the United Nations representative, Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic said the issue of Montenegro's status was not directly linked to the settlement of the Kosovo issue. He added Montenegro had full understanding for the Security Council's decision to launch talks on Kosovo's status.
After the talks in Podgorica, Ahtisaari went to Tirana.