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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

No agreement on Kosovo decentralisation

Belgrade/Vienna, 15 September 2006

Coordinator of the state team for negotiations on the future status of Kosovo-Metohija Slobodan Samardzic said after today's round of talks on decentralisation in Vienna that no agreement has been made with the ethnic Albanian delegation concerning the basis for decentralisation in Kosovo.

Samardzic explained that ethnic Albanians have a different approach, based on unrealistic positions that services should be improved at the level of municipalities, which is a European approach. However, Kosovo-Metohija is a specific region in Europe and Serbs need institutional guarantees.

He pointed out that the two sides have a different view of the essence of the problem, for which reason they have different proposals for decentralisation. Still, the negotiating process should be continued, Samardzic said and voiced belief that an agreement can be reached.

Samardzic said that at the beginning of today's round, members of the state negotiating team were faced with a new offer from the ethnic Albanians, 5 plus 1.

The ethnic Albanians propose three new enclaves - Ranilug, Partes and Klokot. As far as Gracanica is concerned, that is a very serious offer, but for that part of Kosovo-Metohija we proposed two municipalities, Gracanica and Lipljan. The ethnic Albanians suggested an enlarged Novo Brdo, but they excluded some Serbian parts, Samardzic explained.

He said that the Serbian team presented its proposal that contains 12 municipalities, but it is ready to reduce the proposal by one municipality - Gazimestan, and to examine Belo Polje, which belongs to the group of returnee municipalities. However, the ethnic Albanian side refused to discuss returnee municipalities at all.

We wanted that new municipalities provide territorial continuity, and thus freedom of movement. Freedom of movement is one of the most serious problems in applying human rights in the province. The Albanian proposal means unconnected municipalities, which would not provide freedom of movement, Samardzic said.

According to him, Velika Hoca, Gorazdevac and Osojane do not have territorial continuity, but Belgrade demands the establishment of a connection between these municipalities.

We suggested a new municipality for Mitrovica and its connection with Zvecan, but the Albanians rejected it, said Samardzic.

He also said that the Albanian position is not supportive of returnees. They said they want to provide return of refugees to the north of Mitrovica, but it is unacceptable since they rejected the formation of returnee municipality of Osojane. They are supportive only of Albanian return, said Samardzic.