Future Kosovo Parliament Will Not Have The Possibility To Proclaim The Province's Independence

The future parliament of the Serbian province of Kosovo will not have the possibility to proclaim its independence, head of the UN civil mission in Kosovo Hans Haekkerup said. According to him, negotiations on this topic will be held within the framework of elaborating the province's final status. At the same time, Haekkerup said that Albanian parties have the right to promise their electors to seek independence since, according to him, this does not contradict UN Security Council Resolution No. 1244. However, the forthcoming elections, he stressed, are intended to form the bodies of local self-government and respective establishments. The UN mission chief in Kosovo admitted that the level of violence in Kosovo was still very high and Serbs suffer most from that. He specifically noted the significance of the participation of Serbs in the forthcoming November 17 parliamentary elections calling it an important instrument to improve the situation. If Serbs participate in the elections, Haekkerup said, we shall be able to hold a dialogue in the parliament and in the government. According to him, representatives of various communities will be able to jointly work over the future of Kosovo. Haekkerup expressed his disagreement with the criticism of his mission saying that its employees are trying to fulfil the assignments that have been set and put things in order after the chaos that was had been left to them by others. (fed/min)