Q:
A:
No European Kosovo without reconstruction and return
Belgrade/Paris,
13 May 2005
Serbia-Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Draskovic said today in Paris that it is the international community’s legal and moral duty to restore cultural monuments in Kosovo-Metohija and noted that this would in part contribute to the repatriation of Serb expellees in the province.
Serbia-Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Draskovic
Author:
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At the first international donor conference for raising funds to restore and preserve Kosovo’s cultural heritage organised in Paris today, Draskovic said that without reconstruction and return of Serbs, there is no European Kosovo.
He pledged for the formation of an international commission that will be in charge of monitoring the process of repairing monuments and secular buildings.
UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura opened the Paris conference and called on countries, foundations and private donors to help restore Kosovo-Metohija’s cultural heritage and save it for future generations.
Matsuura said that this is a special chance for international organisations to join forces for such a valuable and important goal. He added that preservation of cultural monuments in Kosovo is an important, urgent and high priority for the international community.
Cultural heritage is crucial for reaching reconciliation and keeping peace, he said. According to Matsuura, the international community must react to protect and restore monuments in Kosovo as time is passing by.
UNMIK chief Soren Jessen-Petersen said that Kosovo-Metohija is moving toward multi-ethnic reconciliation and noted that cultural heritage must be protected not only because there are important symbols of the community living there, but also because of their value cannot be measured. These monuments in Kosovo-Metohija do not belong only to the province, but to Europe and the whole world as well, he said.
According to reports by UNESCO and the Council of Europe, 75 Kosovo monuments are in need of urgent repair or restoration. The list includes 48 Serbian Orthodox monuments, 14 Islamic or Ottoman monuments and 13 examples of vernacular architecture and other historic sites.
It has been estimated that some €40 million could be raised at this conference for the initial phase of reconstruction of 76 damaged historical and religious sites.
He pledged for the formation of an international commission that will be in charge of monitoring the process of repairing monuments and secular buildings.
UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura opened the Paris conference and called on countries, foundations and private donors to help restore Kosovo-Metohija’s cultural heritage and save it for future generations.
Matsuura said that this is a special chance for international organisations to join forces for such a valuable and important goal. He added that preservation of cultural monuments in Kosovo is an important, urgent and high priority for the international community.
Cultural heritage is crucial for reaching reconciliation and keeping peace, he said. According to Matsuura, the international community must react to protect and restore monuments in Kosovo as time is passing by.
UNMIK chief Soren Jessen-Petersen said that Kosovo-Metohija is moving toward multi-ethnic reconciliation and noted that cultural heritage must be protected not only because there are important symbols of the community living there, but also because of their value cannot be measured. These monuments in Kosovo-Metohija do not belong only to the province, but to Europe and the whole world as well, he said.
According to reports by UNESCO and the Council of Europe, 75 Kosovo monuments are in need of urgent repair or restoration. The list includes 48 Serbian Orthodox monuments, 14 Islamic or Ottoman monuments and 13 examples of vernacular architecture and other historic sites.
It has been estimated that some €40 million could be raised at this conference for the initial phase of reconstruction of 76 damaged historical and religious sites.
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