WASHINGTON, Feb 14 (Hina) - Belgrade's attempts to have Kosovo's status determined are detrimental and potentially destabilising, the United States said on Thursday.
WASHINGTON, Feb 14 (Hina) - Belgrade's attempts to have Kosovo's
status determined are detrimental and potentially destabilising,
the United States said on Thursday. #L#
The U.S. is concerned with recent developments in Serbia and
Montenegro, as well as in Kosovo, with regard to the time and nature
of decisions on the future status of Kosovo, State Department
spokesman Richard Boucher said in a written statement.
He recalled U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244 envisaged a
political process for the determination of Kosovo's future status,
and said the U.S. strongly endorsed it.
The U.S. also supports U.N. civil administrator in Kosovo Michael
Steiner's stance that talks on Kosovo's status should be preceded
by the achievement of democratic goals -- standards before status,
said Boucher.
Serbia's authorities are trying to regain at least part of the
authority in Kosovo and expedite resolving its status, while
Kosovo's Albanians insist the province achieve independence as
soon as possible.
Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic last week urged the Security
Council to set a date for Serbia and Montenegro's security troops to
return to Kosovo. In his letter, Djindjic asked that talks begin at
once on the inclusion of Serbia and Montenegro in decision-making
regarding Kosovo's future status.
The third-strongest Kosovo Albanian party, the Alliance for the
Future of Kosovo, has launched an initiative to have the Kosovo
parliament adopt a declaration on independence, but parliament
decided to debate the issue at a later date.
The State Department spokesman called on all sides to continue
working with the international community on building the
foundations of a democratic Kosovo.
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