PRISTINA, Dec 3 (Hina) - Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica on Tuesday expressed disagreement with statements that now was the right time to start a dialogue on the final status of Kosovo. He stated that talks on the matter could
begin only after assurances were given for the safety and return of Serbs and other non-Albanian residents.
PRISTINA, Dec 3 (Hina) - Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica on
Tuesday expressed disagreement with statements that now was the
right time to start a dialogue on the final status of Kosovo. He
stated that talks on the matter could begin only after assurances
were given for the safety and return of Serbs and other non-Albanian
residents. #L#
"The proposal by Michael Steiner (the UN civil administrator) that
negotiations should start is his personal opinion, which has not
been supported by the United Nations whose official he is, and it
has turned out that this is also not the stand of the country which
Mr. Steiner comes from," Kostunica said in an interview with a local
Serb TV station from Kosovska Mitrovica.
The Yugoslav head of state described the human rights situation in
Kosovo as disastrous and added that no improvement was possible
without an increase in the number of returns.
(hina) ms sb