HOLKERI AND REXHEPI PRESENT PLAN TO IMPLEMENT STANDARDS FOR KOSOVO

PRISTINA, March 31 (Hina) - The UN civil administrator of Kosovo, Harri Holkeri, and Kosovo premier Bajram Rexhepi unveiled a plan for the implementation of standards for the province at UN mission headquarters in Pristina on Wednesday.#L# The document, which defines standards which provincial institutions must meet before talks on the final status of Kosovo start, was first presented on December 10 last year and approved by the UN Security Council two days later. The 125-page document gives details of the implementation of standards relating to the rule of law, the economy, property rights, dialogue with Belgrade and the status of the Kosovo Protection Corps. Holkeri and Rexhepi said at a joint press conference that the standards regarding the return of displaced persons and freedom of movement would be additionally discussed in April because of disturbances in Kosovo two weeks ago. Holkeri said that in preparing the plan he had tried to cooperate with all parties concerned and that he was disappointed with the refusal by the Serbs to participate in the drafting of the document. "The role of the Serbs is important, but no one community in Kosovo has the right of veto," the UN administrator said. It was said that the United States, the European Union, the Contact Group, the UN mission and the Kosovo government would meet every six weeks to assess progress in implementing the standards. (Hina) vm sb